Two hundred fifty years in the making, the legacy and heritage of the United States of America will be observed in full-throttled patriotic fashion Saturday during Atwater’s Independence Day celebration.
More commonly referred to as the “Fourth of July” holiday, this year marks the semiquincentennial of the nation’s founding on July 4, 1776.
Now in its 63rd year, Atwater’s Fourth of July celebration is surely one of the Central Valley’s largest and most complete, beginning with a parade and ending in fireworks. Participants can be assured that event committee volunteers have organized a day like no other.
Beginning with the annual Run For Independence race in partnership with the Merced Running Club, the event then moves to the always popular parade, which will begin at 9 a.m. at the starting point of Foster’s Freeze on Winton Way. The parade will travel south to Broadway where the long line of high school bands, vintage cars, community floats, and horse teams will turn toward the judging stands and eventually end on Third Street at the Women’s Clubhouse.
A special feature of the parade is always the grand marshal, who rides atop the city’s vintage LaFrance fire truck. This year, four men 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,” said event committee volunteer Andrea Baptie.
“These distinguished members of our community will represent our veterans, who have selflessly given so much to our country,” Baptie said. “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 home of a famed U.S. Air Force Strategic Air Command base, Atwater has always stressed its ties to the nation’s past and current military heroes. This year, the four grand marshals represent three of the nation’s most recent 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 family, is part of a small, but dedicated group of community volunteers whose purpose is to “keep the Atwater tradition alive, an event that has been taking place since 1963.”
After the parade, the focus becomes the several blocks around Ralston Park, where food and beverage vendors, arts and crafts booths, and Atwater Rotary Club’s famous Ribs and Beer garden is featured.
This year marks the return of the Diaper Derby, Baptie said, a limited event for parents with particularly agile children who have not learned to walk yet.
“Parents can pre-register on our Facebook page,” she said.
Also featured is the annual event T-shirt, this year marking the semiquincentennial theme for only $15 or two for $25. The shirts are available at Travis and Merco credit Unions and the Merced School Employees Federal Credit Union.
With the day drawing to close, the celebration moves to the Castle Commerce Center parade grounds for a fireworks display Baptie calls “the best in the valley.”
Gates open at 6 p.m. and the festivities begin with a concert by the famed Mike Hammar and the Nails blues band.
Local radio legend Dave Luna is the event’s emcee. Baptie said the gates will close at 9:15 p.m. and the fireworks is scheduled to begin at 9:30 p.m.
To enter the concert and fireworks show, participants will be charged $20 per carload or $5 for walk-ins.
Major sponsors for this year’s Atwater Independence Day celebration are Joseph Gallo Farms and MERCO Credit Union, along with dozens of local private and business supporters too numerous to mention.