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Liberty Lake, USA
6/27/2012 10:48:53 AM
By Kelly Moore
Splash Staff Writer
For decades, Fourth of July celebrations have brought the community together to celebrate in style. Whether it's decorating golf carts and bikes for a parade or lounging in the park for a free concert, a lineup of festivities offers something for everyone.
"Some parts of our Fourth of July celebration change because people come and go, but most people do the same thing every year, and that's the beauty of it," longtime event volunteer and parade grand marshal Dave Graham said. "People have made this a true tradition."
The week of events kicks off Friday with T-shirt sales and lasts throughout the holiday on Wednesday into the following weekend.
T-shirt sales
The Liberty Lake Fourth of July T-shirts will be available for purchase on Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. on the upper island of Alpine and Liberty Lake drives. Any remaining T-shirts will also be for sale July 4 starting at 10 a.m. at 512 S. Shoreline Drive. Advertisement
Resident Rodney Kern created the design for this year's collectible T-shirt, and Tracy Phelps of Momentum Ink donated printing.
The price is $15 for an adult size and $10 for a child's size. Organizers said proceeds from the shirts offset costs associated with the parade.
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AT A GLANCE
Week of Fourth of July events
Friday (June 29)
4 to 7 p.m.: T-shirt sales on the upper island of Alpine and Liberty Lake drives
Wednesday (July 4)
9 a.m.: Roads close for parade route; T-shirt sales resume
10 a.m.: Parade lineup begins at the corner of Shoreline and Liberty drives
11 a.m.: Parade starts, followed by games and festivities at Alpine Shores Park
5 p.m.: Concert in the park featuring Big Hair Revolution and Men in the Making begins
10 p.m.: Fireworks display
Friday (July 6)
Dusk: Disney's "Robin Hood" movie at Pavillion Park
Saturday (July 7)
8 a.m.: Liberty Lake Loop fun run at Pavillion Park
Dusk: "March of the Penguins" movie at Pavillion Park
Submitted graphic
Rodney Kern designed this year's July 4 T-shirt, and the printing was done by Tracy Phelps of Momentum Ink.
Splash file photo
Games like a pie-eating contest follow the parade at Alpine Shores Park.
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Parade and after-party
The patriotic parade and celebration will be held at 11 a.m. in the Alpine Shores neighborhood, kicking off its 24 years of community tradition. Kids and their families are invited to decorate their bikes, scooters or wagons in patriotic themes to march along the parade route.
Cheryl Leavell, a member of the organizing committee, said no registration is required. People are encouraged to just show up and have fun, she said.
Roadblocks will be set up around 9 a.m., when the parade route will close until after the event (see map on page 13). Parking is available on the streets around the neighborhood and at Liberty Lake Church, 704 S. Garry Road.
Parade lineup will begin at 10 a.m. at the corner of Shoreline and Liberty drives. Golf carts are allowed, Leavell said, but motorcycles, cars or other gas-powered vehicles will be turned away. She also asked that dogs and cats be left at home. Anna Henry from Headline Ink donated funds to provide participants with buttons this year.
This year, Grand Marshals Dave and Susan Graham will lead the parade, and organizers are hoping for a good turnout, she said. Immediately following the parade, games will start up and food will be available in the Alpine Shores Park area. Erin and Darryl Miller from Party Starters will emcee the events.
Committee member Dave Moore has organized the games for 18 years, and adults and kids are invited to participate in free activities such as an egg toss, water balloon toss, pie-eating contest and gunny sack races. While some costs for prizes come from the Moore family, donations make the festivities free to all participants.
Leavell said the overall cost of the festivities could sometimes run $1,500 or more. A non-profit organization, 4th of July at Liberty Lake, was established two years ago to continue planning and handling donations for the event.
Concert in the park
Known for entertaining all ages, Men in the Making will return to Pavillion Park on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
The Spokane-based group, who performed at the park last Fourth of July, is known for its renditions of 1950s to 1980s music legends. They are the first group of the season to perform in the Friends of Pavillion Park concert series.
Big Hair Revolution, a '70s and '80s cover band, will open the show at 5 p.m., making their third Summer Concert Series appearance.
Parking will be available at Liberty Lake Elementary School, and a shuttle from the school to the park will begin running at 5 p.m. The Pavillion Park parking lot will be reserved for the elderly and those needing extra assistance.
Kiwanis will be selling concession items, including hot dogs, pizza and Great Harvest Bread Co. cookies and bars. People are encouraged to bring blankets or low-backed chairs to enjoy the concert followed by the fireworks show, which usually begins around 10 p.m.
For more information, go to www.pavillionpark.org.
Fireworks
The sky above Liberty Lake will be filled with fireworks starting around 10 p.m. Wednesday. The show can be seen from Pavillion Park, Liberty Lake Regional Park and private beachfronts.
Denise Coyle, who along with husband, Tim, have coordinated the show for more than 10 years, said this year expenses are higher than ever.
Because of added federal regulations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives must inspect each imported firework. Previously, this was only done by random selection, and the cost of increased security has been absorbed by the price of fireworks.
She said the fireworks show, which usually runs between $9,000 and $12,000, would be about $3,000 more expensive this year.
"I had the option to downgrade and scale back a little bit, but then thought about how our community always comes through and makes things happen," Denise Coyle said. "Everything is basically the same this year; it's just going to cost a good amount more."
The display is all funded by donations, many of which are mailed in by local families, businesses or organizations. Businesses and organizations contributing this year include Albertsons, Appraisal Services Spokane, Beachcombers Garden Club, Friends of Pavillion Park, Greenstone, KiDDS Dental, Kiwanis of Liberty Lake, Liberty Lake Liquor and Wine, Liberty Lake Splash, North Side Beach Club, Safeway Employee Fund, Sandy Beach Mobile Villa and Sayre & Sayre.
Leading up to the event, volunteers will be soliciting donations at the Farmers Market this weekend, at Albertsons Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., along the parade route and during intermission at the Pavillion Park Concert July 4.
Of course, Denise Coyle said, donations toward the fund are always accepted through mail to The Liberty Lake Fireworks Fund, P.O. Box 430, Liberty Lake, WA 99019. While funds are most needed now, she said donations are also accepted after the event. For more information, contact Coyle at 255-6837.
In order to handle the estimated 5,000 visitors coming into Liberty Lake on July 4, the Liberty Lake Police Department is contracting with Northstar, a local traffic control company.
Similar to previous years, the LLPD's traffic control plan calls for flaggers from Northstar to assist in getting traffic through Liberty Lake as safely as possibly, Sergeant Clint Gibson said. This allows police to be freed up to respond to emergencies and calls for service.
From 6:30 p.m. until after the fireworks show, Molter Road between Country Vista and Boone Avenue will be closed, as well as Country Vista between Wright Boulevard and Molter. Flaggers will be stationed at those and other intersections to direct traffic and help pedestrians cross.
Movies in the park
The weekend boasts a movie double feature as Friends of Pavillion Park kicks off its outdoor cinema series.
Disney's "Robin Hood" will show Friday, July 6. The 1973 animated classic, rated G, tells the story of the legendary outlaw, portrayed with the characters as human-like animals.
"March of the Penguins" will run Saturday, July 7. The 2005 film follows the journey of Emperor penguins as they traverse inhospitable arctic terrain, where females lay their egg and the males protect it against the harsh elements. The movie won an Oscar award for best documentary.
Both movies are free and begin at dusk. The Liberty Lake Kiwanis will sell concessions.
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