Wakefield's Fourth of July emphasizes unity

By P.J. GLISSON

news@yourdailyglobe.com

Wakefield — Wakefield has a full schedule of activities to celebrate Independence Day, with this year’s theme being “Generosity, Diversity, Unity.”

Today, the Wakefield Historical Society will sponsor an open house at its Sunday Lake Street museum. The “Forchuly” event will run from 1 to 4 p.m.

A corn hole tournament will be held at Den-O’s Sports Bar on Friday.

Street dances will occur on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights at 8 p.m. on the corner of Sunday Lake and Hancock streets.

On Sunday, the Wakefield-Marenisco Volleyball pancake breakfast will be held from 7 a.m. to noon at VFW Post 9084 on U.S. 2.

It will be followed by the VFW’s beanbag tournament starting at noon.

At 1 p.m. the same day, a town picnic will be held in Eddy Park, next to Sunday Lake. It will include live music, bingo and kids’ activities. Food and beverages will be available for sale in the John Siira Pavilion.

During the picnic, the Wakefield Volunteer Fire Department also will offer a display from 1 to 3 p.m.

At 7 p.m., in the park’s smaller pavilion, the Gogebic Range Band will offer a concert sponsored by the Wakefield Fourth of July Committee.

At 10 p.m., the “Lightning on the Lake” fireworks display will take place.

On Monday — the Fourth of July — the Wakefield Fireworks Committee will offer a quick salute at 6 a.m. on the southeastern side of Sunday Lake.

Registration will occur from 6:30 to 7:30 a.m. for the 8 a.m. Sunday Lake Walk-Run.

At 1 p.m., the Vintage Warbirds will fly over Sunday Lake Street. Directly afterward, the children’s parade will travel down main street, starting at the fire hall and ending at the old City Hall.

The general parade will move from Putnam Street to Brotherton and Pierce streets, and then will proceed down the main street.

Just prior to the parade, the Klassic Kruisers will drive through the parade route in classic cars.

Children’s races will be held after the parade at Roger Randall Field, west of the Wakefield-Marenisco K-12 School. Friends also are encouraged to visit at the VFW and at Wakefield’s American Legion Post 11.

The first event on the community’s July 4 celebration schedule was the Matt Ahonen Memorial 25th annual softball tournament, which began on Friday evening and continued through Saturday and Sunday at Gabby and Halberg fields in Wakefield.

Two traditional activities that will be missing from this year’s round-up will be the Wakefield Variety Show, which generally is held during the week prior to July 4, and the Michigan State Police open house, which usually is scheduled on the same day as the picnic.