Parade route changed, farmers market added
Organizer Bob Duda, center front row, leads the first-ever color guard at the 2011 Crescent Bar Fourth of July Parade on July 3. Last years parade was the longest parade and this years route has been altered a little this year in an effort to eliminate the congestion that has occurred in the past.
CRESCENT BAR - The route of the Crescent Bar Fourth of July Parade, on Saturday, July 7, has been altered a little this year in an effort to eliminate the congestion that has occurred in the past.
According to organizer Karen Wirta, the route will be about the same length as before but different. With the new route, the tail end of the parade should be out of the staging area before the front end returns.
"Last year, the front end had to stop and wait for the back end to get out. We had so many entries. Everything just backed up," Wirta said.
The parade will enter North Park through the gate at the public beach-fire station area. It will go straight south on the street that fronts the gate.
The parade will pass near the waterfront in the area of the Burt and Marian Lucas home and then veer right along the bottom of North Park. It will swing right again at B Street and return to the staging area.
Parade participants are reminded to arrive at the staging area - fire station - by 9 a.m. They will be registered and given the number of their position in the parade.
The parade will kick off at 10 a.m., and Wirta expects a color guard made up of area veterans to lead the way.
"I understand we will have a color guard. I just don't know the details of it," she said.
Parade participants will have beverages and prizes waiting for their return to the staging area. There will be a trophy for the winner of each of seven categories and medals for second and third place.
The categories are Judges' Award (five judges), Best Golf Car, Best Car/Truck/Boat, Best Costume, Best Float, Best Bike/Stroller/Toy Car/Skates and Best Display of Patriotism.
There will be a display of patriotism - fireworks - in the late evening, at about 10 p.m.
The Crescent Bar Fireworks Show has been hailed as one of the more spectacular shows in central Washington. It draws its audience not only from Crescent Bar but other communities in the region.
The new Crescent Bar Farmers Market - Market by the River - will open for the first time at about 10 a.m. It will be located in the park near the parade staging area.
Organizer JoAnn Hanson hopes the market will become a permanent weekend event. She chose the weekend of the Fourth of July celebration for the opener to give it a good chance at success.
The Fourth of July celebration is a big weekend at Crescent Bar. Visitors swell the population to as many as 5,000 individuals.
They spend most of their time playing and picnicking. There are no fresh food outlets on the island. So if the market is going to work, it will work on Fourth of July weekend.
Anyone interested in further information may call Hanson at 787-2368.
According to Hanson, the market will offer a variety of items, from fruits and vegetables to crafts. There will be home made pies, gluten-free pastries, products from a farm near Ephrata and honey and asparagus from vendor out of Mattawa.
The Market by the River will include a special lemonade stand set up by children of the island. They will be raising funds for research of juvenile diabetes. One of their friends, a 6-year-old island girl, is seriously ill.
"They've raised $50 so far," Hanson said.