Legion amps up celebration in honor of big birthday

Port Washington will celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday Saturday with a red, white and blue event sponsored by the Van Ells-Schanen American Legion Post 82.

The Legion, which last year revived the city’s annual Fourth of July parade and community picnic, is adding to the list of activities this year.

“It’s 250 years of freedom,” Jim Johnson, the Legion’s Independence Day Committee chairman and commander-elect, said, referring to the theme for the event and the nation’s semiquincentennial. “I think it’s important for us to celebrate our freedom and the sacrifice so many people have made.

“That’s why we decided to bring back the parade and the picnic. I think it’s important for the City of Port to celebrate this instead of residents having to travel to another community.”

The event, he said, is intended to have a hometown feeling.

Saturday’s events kick off at 10 a.m. with a parade through downtown. The parade begins at the corner of Main and Wisconsin streets, heads south to Grand Avenue, then east to Franklin Street and north to Jackson Street.

Marchers will then turn east on Pier Street and north on Lake Street and head to Veterans Memorial Park.

A perennial favorite in the parade is children riding bikes, trikes, scooters and wagons they have decorated.

“That to me is the highlight,” Johnson said.

Bike decorating kits are available at Port Washington State Bank’s Port Washington branch, he said.

After the parade, the bikes will be judged as a program is held in the park with Johnson serving as the speaker and emcee.

Windy Hope will sing the national anthem at the program, then perform from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Shad Lads will perform from 2 to 5 p.m., then Jessie Marie and the Rippers will play from 6 p.m. until the fireworks at about 9:30 p.m.

There will be a variety of children’s activities at the Legion Hall, including temporary tattoos and arts and crafts, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and family friendly activities in the park from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Those include games sponsored by the Port Lions Club, mini-golf sponsored by the Greater Port Washington Kiwanis Club and a rock-climbing wall by the National Guard.

There will be complementary hot dogs, chips, soda, ice cream and soda for the first 400 people at the park, and a beer garden hosted by St. John XXIII Men’s Club, Knights of Columbus and the Friends of Port Washington Parks and Recreation from 2 to 9:30 p.m.

Pets won’t be left out of this celebration.

The annual pet costume contest will be held at the Legion Hall, with small animals judged from noon to 12:30 p.m., cats  from 12:30 to 1 p.m. and dogs from 1 to 1:30 p.m.

The costumed animals will then parade through downtown, stopping at Eclectic Avenue, where a photo booth will be set up. Members of the public can vote for their favorite costumed animal at Fork and Tap, Cavalier Wine Bar and at the Legion Hall, with awards presented after the parade.