*The following information provided by the Charles City Chamber of Commerce
CHARLES CITY – With the calendar turning to July, that means it is time for the annual Fourth of July Celebration in Charles City!
A variety of activities for all ages is on tap July 3-5, including patriotic parades, free live entertainment, food and beverage vendors, eating contests, children’s games and a special stunt show to name a few. Most of the activities will be in or around Central Park in downtown Charles City.
The fun kicks off Thursday, July 3rd, with Kids Day in the morning, and various children’s activities available around town that afternoon. Soifer Family McDonald’s and First Citizens bank will sponsor Kids Day from 10 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. in Central Park. Decorate your kids and their bikes or wagons and register for the Kids Parade and door prizes at 10 a.m., with the parade itself around the park and adjacent couple of blocks at 10:30 a.m. Family members are all welcome to walk with their children. From 11 a.m. to noon there will be free kids’ games and a $3 McDonald’s Lunch available in the park, followed by a Children’s Magician from 12-12:45 p.m. The Comet Bowl will also be offering $2.50 bowling for youth from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., while Bayou Bend Mini Golf will offer $2.50 mini golf. There will also be a free swim at Lion’s Field Pool from 1-3 p.m., with a 2:30 p.m. Mermaid Story Time at the pool.
Thursday evening, the Charles Theatre will host a concert by rising country music performer Jake Simon at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 and the doors will open at 7 p.m.
The action starts off bright and early on Friday, July 4th, with the annual Charley Western Firecracker 5K race, organized by the Main Street Charles City program. Proceeds from the 7:30 a.m. race go towards repair and improvements of the community’s recreational trail. Register at the Main Street Charles City office or the day of the event at the high school track beginning at 6 a.m.
Entry line up for the Independence Day Parade will begin at 8 a.m. on 13th Avenue, with the parade to begin at 10:30 a.m. Register at the Charles City Area Chamber of Commerce office before July 4th, or at the parade check-in on Cleveland Avenue the day of the event. There is a $20 entry fee for late registrations. The parade route will go from North Grand to North Main Street, down to Clark and over to North Jackson Street, dispersing after Richings.
Starting at noon, there will be live music, food and activities in Central Park, featuring the band The Chocolate Crackers from 12-4 p.m. There will be food vendors, a beer garden and a Bags Tournament beginning at 2 p.m. Hy-Vee will sponsor a Watermelon Eating Contest during the band break, then at 3 p.m., marvel at the unicycle and basketball mastery of the Champions Forever stunt team. Mike Molstead Motors is sponsoring the appearance of the stunt team in the parade and in the park on Friday and Saturday.
The Charles City Municipal Band will perform its annual Patriotic Concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday behind the Charles City Public Library. The day wraps up with the Fireworks Show, organized by Main Street Charles City, at 10 p.m. from the Main Street Bridge.
Saturday’s activities begin with the annual Charles City Bike Ride at 8 a.m., taking off from the First Security Bank & Trust parking lot. The Charles City Farmers Market will be held on North Jackson Street from 9 a.m. to noon, while a Red, White and Chalk the Walk chalk art competition will also begin at 9 a.m. in Central Park. All ages are welcome, with no fee and no experience needed. Just bring the creativity!
Food vendors will be available in the park for lunch and dinner, with more activities planned from 4-9 p.m. A Hot Dog Eating Contest, sponsored by Dave’s Restaurant and Fareway, will take place in the park at 4 p.m. Register at the Chamber Office in advance, or before the event that day if contestant spots are still open. You must be 16 years old or over to enter, and the competition will be limited to the first eight people to sign up.
The Champions Forever stunt team will return for an encore performance at 4:30 p.m., and the band On Maryland will be playing on the bandshell stage from 5-9 p.m. There will also be free inflatable rides for youth during that same time, courtesy of Daniels Auto Collision and Tynan’s Recycling. The beer garden and food vendors will be open as well.
For more information, contact the Charles City Area Chamber of Commerce at (641) 228-4234 or email [email protected]. Schedules and updates are also available at charlescitychamber.com and the Chamber Facebook page.
***SIDEBAR
High water levels force postponement of Duck Dash event
Due to concerns with the river level, the All-American Duck Dash scheduled for Saturday, July 5th, as part of the Fourth of July Celebration activities, will be postponed to a later date.
Tickets will still be available for sale at the Chamber/Main Street Charles City office and throughout the July 4th festivities. For $5 each, or a “Six Quack” for $25, your tickets will correspond with the numbered plastic ducks that will float to the finish line. The first 25 ducks gathered at the end will receive cash prizes, with a $1,000 first-place prize to be awarded.
Contact the Chamber/Main Street office for more information at (641) 228-4234 or stop in at 401 North Main St. to purchase your tickets in advance.
