OGEMAW COUNTY — To celebrate Independence Day, area communities are hosting firework displays, parades and other family friendly and adult activities. Here is a list of what is going on around the county over the weekend.
West Branch
On Thursday evening, the festivities begin in the city with the opening of the beverage tent, and the first day of the Ogemaw Heights High School All Class Reunion.
Friday, July 3, the fifth-annual historical Voyager Encampment at Irons Park will begin, with lots of activities planned including children and adult contests, and demonstrations. There will be free kids crafts Saturday, 3-5 p.m., and Sunday, 1-3 p.m.
“All types of historical camp and living history stuff,” Steve Leonard of the Chamber of Commerce said. “You can go camp to camp and be educated.”
The Heritage Fine Art show and sale will also begin Friday, and run through Sunday, July 5, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day at Fourth Street Gallery.
Saturday, the Fourth of July parade will begin at 1 p.m., and will travel along Houghton Avenue. There will also be a fireworks display at dusk. However, the fireworks committee is still in need of money to pay for the show. Donations can be made by bringing a check for the West Branch fireworks to City Hall, or by sending it to P.O. Box 141, West Branch, MI 48661.
Also on Saturday will be the West Branch Regional Medical Center fun run at Irons Park. Signup will be from 7:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. The race will begin at 9 a.m.
Rose City
In Rose City, there will be a parade, fireworks and a festival to celebrate the holiday. The parade will begin at 4 p.m., with lineup at 2:30 p.m. A fireworks display will be held at dusk.
The festival will be held at Houghton Creek Park, from 5:30 p.m. until at least 8:30 p.m., and will include free, old-fashioned children’s games such as a wheelbarrow race, three-legged race, and a children’s tractor pull featuring miniature pedal tractors. There will also be a money pit for younger children, and a raffle of homemade items and gift certificates to local merchants. Food booths will open at 5 p.m. The Rose City Lions Club is sponsoring the festival through contributions from businesses and the public.
A free kids fishing derby will also be held July 4, in Houghton Creek Park, for children 14 years old and younger. Registration will be from 10 a.m. to noon, and fishing will be from noon to 2 p.m. There will be prizes for the first fish caught, largest fish, smallest fish, the first five fish caught, and the last fish caught. Each participant will also receive a raffle ticket upon registration for a grand prize drawing of a bicycle.
The kids will have an opportunity to catch a maximum of five fish that day, with 200 rainbow trout between 10 and 12 inches long being released into the stream that will be blocked off by screens.
Skidway Lake
Skidway Lake’s Fourth of July parade will take place Saturday, at 11 a.m. However, the fireworks display will not be held until Sunday, July 5, at dusk in Newman Park. Before the fireworks, there will be a concession stand open beginning at 5 p.m., and a DJ will be providing music beginning at 6 p.m.
A free art and craft show will be held at the Chamber of Commerce building on Greenwood Road, July 3-5, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. All proceeds will be donated to the Chamber of Commerce scholarship fund.
Hale
The Hale Area Veterans and Hale Area Association will host holiday celebrations Sunday, July 5. A pancake breakfast will be held at the American Legion hall 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will also be a car show at the hall. At 11 a.m., there will be a 3-on-3 basketball tournament at the township hall, along with an art and craft show and bake sale from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Yankee Doodle Days parade will begin at 3 p.m. at Kocher’s Market in Hale. Jean Bell will be signing her book “Hale and Up the Tracks” from 4-6 p.m. Live music will begin at 4 p.m., and old-fashioned kids carnival games will start at 4:30 p.m. An adult sock hop will be held at the Legion, at 5 p.m.
The Hale veterans will share a fireworks display at dusk.
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