WEEKEND PLANNER: Special Fourth of July edition

Are you ready for the holiday weekend? A sampling of local
events is listed here – for the complete calendar, click on
Related.


Fourth of July celebrations planned in and around Racine
County

Sunday, July 3

* The Sturtevant Festival and Fireworks Celebration will be held
from 3 to 11 p.m. Sunday, July 3, at Fireman’s Park, 9698 Charles
St. (on Charles Street, between 90th and Wisconsin streets),
Sturtevant. The free family festival will feature children’s
activities, face painting, fish pond and bounce house. There will
be concessions. Entertainment includes the Racine Unified Show
Band, 3-4 p.m.; Cheryl McCrary Heir-Born Band, 5-6:30 p.m.;
and Final Approach, 7:30-9 p.m. The National Anthem will be sung by
McCrary at 7:25 p.m. A fireworks display will begin at 9:20 p.m.
Parking will be available on the grounds for $5.

* Racine Concert Band Patriotic Concert, Racine Zoo Kiwanis
Amphitheater, 2131 N. Main St., Racine, 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, July3.
Free. Bring lawn chair or blanket.

* Kenosha Civic Veterans Parade, “150th Anniversary of the
American Civil War,” 2 p.m. Sunday, July 3. The new parade route
starts at 63rd Street and 22nd Avenue, proceeds north to 60th
Street, east to Library Park, south on Eighth Avenue to 61st
Street, east to Seventh Avenue, north to Sixth Avenue and
continuing on Sixth Avenue north until the end at 50th Street,
Kenosha.

Monday, July 4

* Racine Fourth Fest Parade, “75 Years of Goodwill
Celebrations.” Parade begins at 9 a.m. Monday, July 4, at the
intersection of Goold and Main streets, Racine. Pre-parade begins
at 8:15 a.m. Fire engines, tractors, police vehicles, floats,
clowns, and living replicas of national monuments. Fireworks begin
at dusk.

* Union Grove Fourth of July Chamber of Commerce Parade, Monday,
July 4. The parade will assemble in the parking lot of the Racine
County Fairgrounds on Highway 11, Yorkville. It will travel east on
Highway 11 and then north on Highway 45. 9:15 a.m. The Children’s
Parade will assemble at 8:45 a.m. at Talmer Bank and Trust, 1201
Main St. parking lot and go to Village Square Park, down Main
Street (Highway 45).

* Waterford Lions Club Independence Day Parade
Festivities, Fifth and Main streets, Waterford. 11 a.m. Monday,
July 4; 5K run at 8 a.m. from Whitford Park.

* Raymond 4th of July Parade, “Glory Days,” 76th Street (Highway
U) in Raymond between highways G and K, 1 p.m. Monday, July 4
(children’s parade at 12:45 p.m.). A festival follows with
general/silent auctions, pie and flower auction, children’s games,
tractor pull for children, moon walk and live music. Fireworks at
9:30 p.m.

* Fourth of July Celebration Fireman’s Dance, Echo Park,
Highway 36, Burlington, 1:30-10:30 p.m. Monday, July 4. The $2
admission includes entry into a cash raffle. Bag toss tournament, 2
p.m., $20 per team entry fee, cash prizes to top two winning teams,
register on site. Music by DJ, 2-5 p.m.; New Dog Trick, 6-10:30
p.m. Beer, soda, food. Fireworks at dusk. Sponsored by the City of
Burlington Volunteer Fire Department. Tickets at the gate or from
fire department members and at the fire station.

* Kenosha Pops Concert Band will perform their Independence Day
tradition of patriotic music from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday, July 4, at
Wolfenbuttel Park, 5901 Third Ave., Kenosha.

* Kenosha fireworks will be held at 9:30 p.m. Monday, July 4.
The display is launched from the east end of Harbor Park, 56th
Street and First Avenue, Kenosha.  


 Venetian Night Saturday

The national champion Browns Lake Aquaducks water-ski team will
highlight a night of music, boats and fireworks in the annual
Venetian Night on Saturday, July 2.

Organized by residents around the lake, this event invites
people of nearby city and town of Burlington and out-of-towners, to
come spend the evening at Fischer Park.

A parade of decorated boats, up to 25 of them, kicks off the
event at 6 p.m., followed by a show courtesy of the high-flying
Aquaducks team.

Add in a ring of fire on the lake, and fireworks at 9:20 p.m.,
organizers say, it’ll be a fiery night at the lake, which has about
5 miles of shoreline.


Barn Dance Sunday

On the eve of the Town of Raymond’s Fourth of July parade, put
on your dancing shoes and hit the dance floor for its annual Barn
Dance celebration.

Organized by the Raymond Community Business Organization, the
free Barn Dance will be held on Sunday, July 3, at the festival
grounds on 2659 S. 76th St. The doors open at 6 p.m. and music,
courtesy of “Jackie Brown and The Boys,” begins at 7:30 p.m.,
continuing through midnight.

“It’s a grand time and will help celebrate the holiday,”
volunteer Jessie Zamecnik said.


Lighthouse Brigade band championship July
3

RACINE – The Racine Lighthouse Brigade marching band will host its
annual marching band championship home show at 7 p.m. Sunday, July
3, at Case High School’s Hammes Field, 7345 Washington Ave.

The Lighthouse Brigade, which has been putting on its annual
show for more than 30 years, is comprised of high school students
from Racine County. These students started preparing for their
performance with weekend practices in February. Once school lets
out, they go into full rehearsal mode with 12-hour-a-day practices,
five days a week. Their summer tour, which began on June 24,
includes performances in seven cities in southeastern Wisconsin and
culminates this year with a trip to Calgary, Canada.

In addition to performances by both the senior and junior
Lighthouse Brigade bands, this year’s Racine competition will
feature the Sound of Sun Prairie, the Lutheran Vanguard of
Wisconsin, the Renegade Regiment from Sandwich (Illinois), the
Shadow Armada from Oregon and the Green Berets from Janesville. A
special performance by the Kilties Drum and Bugle Corps of Racine
will follow the competition.

Advance tickets cost $7 for adults and $6 for students and
seniors. Tickets cost $2 more at the gate. There is no charge for
children ages 4 and younger. Tickets can be purchased at Johnson
Bank branches, Schmitt Music Inc., The Journal Times and Old Dutch
Custard.

Refreshments will be sold during the show and spectators will
have the opportunity to purchase tickets for two separate raffle
drawings that evening.