July 4 Weekend

For many years now the denizens of Presque Isle have celebrated Independence Day (or at least its weekend) with the Children's Bike Parade at the New Lighthouse Park.  I had a commitment at Long Rapids on Saturday morning, so I arrived about half an hour late, just as the parade was ending.  However, a milling mob of several hundred kids, parents, and residents still swirled through the park, clearly enjoying themselves.  By the way, adults can enter the parade, too, and many decorate their "floats" for the occasion.

I'm not certain, but the Cushman scooter below may be a 1948 model (or in that time range).  It brought back memories of being driven around Cocoa, FL, in the front cargo box of a Cushman motor scooter which the staff of my grandparents' hotel used for shopping and other errands.  I was quite young — 6 or 7 years old — and those rides were an undiluted delight!

The crowd after the parade.

This would scare the gophers off a golf course, wouldn't it?

The vintage Cushman — my hands-down favorite!

The Parade is mainly for children, and there were lots of games designed for the younger set.  In the first photo below the young man had scored big on the beanbag toss.  He is literally jumping up and down and squealing with joy in anticipation of his prize!

Oh, the joy of winning a prize!  Dennis is madly searching
for a bracelet for this lad.

The ring toss demands intense concentration...

...as does the fish pond.

For those unafraid of heights, a climb to the top
of the New Light is a must-do.

All that excitement makes people hungry!  They happily queued up at Garrity Hall for a meal of hot dogs, brats with sauerkraut, baked beans, potato chips, and chocolate chip cookies.  Donations, as always, support the Historical Society which runs the 1905 Keeper's House and the New Light's Gift Shop.  Saturday's ravenous crowd kept the men busy out back, cooking off dogs and brats and showing off millinery creations worthy of a royal wedding in London.

People line up for food at Garrity Hall.

Out back, the Presque Isle Men's Club cooks up a storm...
or sits and supervises.

Jim, who runs the cooking show, wears his
badge of office atop his head.  I want one!!!

Meanwhile Pat, the township supervisor, was captivating children with his balloon animals and other inflatable creations.  One of the latter was an "alien hat" complete with four eyes on stalks, so that (according to Pat) its wearer could see where he's going and where he's been at the same time.  This headgear was too much for my young neighbor Tyler, who was reduced to uncontrollable giggles.

Pat makes a smiling dog for a young customer.

Dominic got his four-eyed alien hat.  Tyler (red shirt)
found this just too, too amusing.

Because I had to be up early on Sunday for the service at Long Rapids, I elected not to attend the annual fireworks show at the Harbor and instead went to bed at 10:30.  What I neglected to consider was 1) the fireworks start about 10:30, and 2) the Harbor is a scant mile from my house.  It sounded like the fireworks were going off in my front yard... and I didn't get to sleep until 11:30. •••