Parade, Fireworks and Enjoyable! — Merced County Occasions

 

Two hundred fifty years within the making, the legacy and heritage of the United States of America shall be noticed in full-throttled patriotic style Saturday throughout Atwater’s Independence Day celebration.

More generally known as the “Fourth of July” vacation, this 12 months marks the semiquincentennial of the nation’s founding on July 4, 1776. 

Now in its 63rd 12 months, Atwater’s Fourth of July celebration is unquestionably one of many Central Valley’s largest and most full, starting with a parade and ending in fireworks. Participants will be assured that occasion committee volunteers have organized a day like no different.

Beginning with the annual Run For Independence race in partnership with the Merced Running Club, the occasion then strikes to the all the time in style parade, which can start at 9 a.m. at the start line of Foster’s Freeze on Winton Way. The parade will journey south to Broadway the place the lengthy line of highschool bands, classic automobiles, neighborhood floats, and horse groups will flip towards the judging stands and finally finish on Third Street on the Women’s Clubhouse.

A particular function of the parade is all the time the grand marshal, who rides atop town’s classic LaFrance hearth truck. This 12 months, 4 males will share grand marshal honors.

“In celebration of America’s 250th birthday, we have selected several local individuals to serve as our Grand Marshals this year,” mentioned occasion committee volunteer Andrea Baptie.

“These distinguished members of our community will represent our veterans, who have selflessly given so much to our country,” Baptie mentioned. “We could not imagine a more fitting way to celebrate this milestone than by honoring the men and women whose sacrifices help preserve the very freedoms we cherish.”

Once the house of a famed U.S. Air Force Strategic Air Command base, Atwater has all the time harassed its ties to the nation’s previous and present navy heroes. This 12 months, the 4 grand marshals symbolize three of the nation’s most up-to-date wars. They are:

• Gary Frago, U.S. Army, Vietnam

• Check Herman, U.S. Air Force, Vietnam

• Donovan Sizemore, U.S. Army, Desert Storm

• Ramon Alfaro, U.S. Navy, Iraqi Freedom

Baptie, who grew up in an Air Force household, is a part of a small, however devoted group of neighborhood volunteers whose goal is to “keep the Atwater tradition alive, an event that has been taking place since 1963.”

After the parade, the main target turns into the a number of blocks round Ralston Park, the place meals and beverage distributors, arts and crafts cubicles, and Atwater Rotary Club’s well-known Ribs and Beer backyard is featured. 

This 12 months marks the return of the Diaper Derby, Baptie mentioned, a restricted occasion for fogeys with significantly agile youngsters who haven’t discovered to stroll but.

“Parents can pre-register on our Facebook page,” she mentioned.

Also featured is the annual occasion T-shirt, this 12 months marking the semiquincentennial theme for less than $15 or two for $25. The shirts can be found at Travis and Merco credit score Unions and the Merced School Employees Federal Credit Union.

With the day drawing to shut, the celebration strikes to the Castle Commerce Center parade grounds for a fireworks show Baptie calls “the best in the valley.”

Gates open at 6 p.m. and the festivities start with a live performance by the famed Mike Hammar and the Nails blues band. 

Local radio legend Dave Luna is the occasion’s emcee. Baptie mentioned the gates will shut at 9:15 p.m. and the fireworks is scheduled to start at 9:30 p.m.

To enter the live performance and fireworks present, members shall be charged $20 per carload or $5 for walk-ins.

Major sponsors for this 12 months’s Atwater Independence Day celebration are Joseph Gallo Farms and MERCO Credit Union, together with dozens of native personal and enterprise supporters too quite a few to say.