Heritage Days activities start tonight

By Roy Logan, Lincoln Park District program coordinator

[July 02, 2009]  Happy Fourth of July! As we celebrate our nation's 233rd birthday and Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday, we invite you to join the Heritage Days celebration. The Heritage Days Committee invites everyone to take part in three days of fun and free activities, from Abe and Mary Todd impersonators on Thursday evening at Lincoln College to wrapping up with the fireworks at Lincoln Park District on Saturday evening.

Downtown Friday evening offers lots of concessionaires and dancing in the streets with two great bands, Amazing Elvis Guy at 6 p.m. and Vintage Daze around 8 p.m. Enjoy the entertainment free of charge. Get your free wristband also!

Saturday gives us the flea market at Scully Park, opening at 8 a.m. Decorate your bike, tricycle, skateboard or wagon and be a part of our "Let Freedom Ring" parade. Registration is at 9 a.m., judging at 9:30 and the parade steps off at 10, ending at the park district. Following the presenting of prizes, we'll take on the Lincoln City Fire Department in a water fight. Maybe we'll be a little disadvantaged taking on one of their trucks, but it's a guaranteed wet 'n' wild time for everyone. At noon everyone is invited to join us at the pool for lots of fun, games and competitions.

If you are still downtown on Saturday, be sure to catch the cruise-in on Kickapoo Street. Don't miss the ice cream social at The Oasis senior center at 1 p.m. Find us under the tent on the courthouse for a slice of ice-cold watermelon!

At 6 p.m. wander back to the park district for a vintage baseball game. The City Guys will take on the County Guys in an ongoing game to see who takes the trophy at the end of summer.

Plan to stay a while and grab something to eat from one of our concessionaires. Listen to the DJ and grab a free bag of popcorn. And of course it wouldn't be the Fourth without fireworks at dusk.

[By ROY LOGAN, Lincoln Park District]