ST. IGNACE (top): Bicycles decorated with flags and ribbons and children wearing red, white, and blue deliver the spirit of the nation's 234th birthday celebration. Each year youngsters are invited to join the annual Fourth of July parade down State Street in St. Ignace. In foreground are (center) Ben Doran of St. Ignace and (right) Dave Stover of Clarkston. Event organizers wanted to return the Fourth of July festivities in Cedarville to the way the celebration used to be, and with children eager to participate in contests and a warm summer day for the patriotic parade, the effort succeeded. With an insistent sun shining down on both the parade and the children's games, this year's Independence day had everything one could ask for in the traditional summer day.

While children participated in games such as sack and three-legged races, water balloon and egg tosses, a ring toss, and a watermelon eating contest, it wasn't long before they were looking to escape the heat with perspiring water bottles and a sprinkler courtesy of Clark Township Fire Department. A handful of youngsters even tested the waters of the pool set up for the duck pluck game.

CEDARVILLE (left): Looking to cool off at the “duck pluck” game station in Cedarville Sunday, July 4, are (back) Lily Freel of Cedarville and Trey Paquin of Hessel, and (front, from left) Jarret and Jacob St. Onge, both of Pickford. The temperature reached 94 degrees Fahrenheit during the Independence Day celebration. The temperature in Cedarville and Hessel reached 94 degrees Fahrenheit at midday.

Event organizer Brianna Freel tried to get the running games out of the way early.

“It was too hot to have them out there running all day,” she said.

This left more time for the sprinkler and the foam tank, the latter a tradition in the area since the 1960s. The foam tank is a combination of water and dish soap that creates a sea of bubbles, which the kids waded through this year in pursuit of flying disc toys.

ST. IGNACE (at left): A crowd favorite, a crew of clowns from the St. Ignace Fire Department takes to the street for the Independence Day parade Sunday, July 4, tossing rounds of candy and playing catch with youngsters all the while. Mike Kasper, the emergency management coordinator for Mackinac County, said he remembers charging through the bubbles as a child. Now, he gets to watch as the next generations do the same.

“The trick is getting the foam to expand at the right rates,” he said. “It is a tricky process, one that might deter other fire departments from doing this. We have it down to a science and this is just another part of the Fourth of July tradition in this area.”

Top left: The foam tank has been a tradition at the Cedarville Fourth of July festivities since the 1960s. Approximately 3,500 gallons went into the firefighters' cooldown efforts.

Before the kids games began, crowds of people were treated to a parade gliding down M-134. The nation's flag was seen everywhere among the spectators and on the floats. Red, white, and blue marched by in the form of sky-high balloons accompanying a large group of local families marching together, which was chosen for the People's Choice Award. Captain Ernie Griffes orbited the Airstream RV Park's float, handing out pocket sized U.S. Constitutions and Declarations of Independence to spectators, while Val Wolters stood atop the third place float as the Statue of Liberty.

“I love to dress like Lady Liberty and pay my respects to this country,” she said. “I happened to have the costume on hand, and was asked to ride on the float. A dozen people in the trailer park helped out. They really got into it.”

At left: A group of families and friends march along the street with red, white, and blue balloons, creating the effect of an American flag and winning “people's choice” among the spectators. The second place distinction went to the Les Cheneaux Christian Fellowship's float, which featured pastor Scout Hester rocking the boat (in the musical sense) as Noah, belting out refrains, while others on the float handed out stuffed animals.

First place belonged to the Les Cheneaux Watershed Council, which used their float to raise awareness for the upcoming Frog Fest, July 16 and July 17. Many in the audience seemed impressed by the real bulrushes and cattails featured on the float.

The night culminated with fireworks, ending with a fast and furious grand finale.
At left: Val Wolters is always looking for reasons to don her Statue of Liberty costume. As a retired teacher, she still makes special appearances for classes when asked, in full Lady Liberty garb.
Harper Galer, son of Lisa and Micah Galer, with loot gathered from the Cedarville parade.
“Can I go up on your fire truck?” Morgan McQuiston asked the nearest fireman. “You sure can,” Bruce Shoberg accommodated the youngster's request, equipping her with a plastic fireman's hat. (From left) Mike Kasper, Mr. Shoberg, and Stan Kasper pose with Miss McQuiston after her wish has been granted.
Gerry and Nancy Smith of the Christian Motorcycle Association are revving with patriotism at Sunday's parade in Cedarville.