July 4 celebrated in Othello
File photo/Columbia Basin Herald Red, white and blue sisters Elizabeth Sanchez, left, and sister Isabelle Sanchez, both of Othello, watch for candy during Othello's 2012 July 4 parade. The 2013 celebration is Thursday.
OTHELLO — The nation’s birthday will be celebrated with a parade, community fireworks, a demolition derby, a community breakfast, three on three basketball and a whole schedule of games for kids in the park. Othello’s July 4 celebration begins at about 8 a.m. and winds up with fireworks in the at dusk.
Most of the activity begins and ends in Lions Park, 815 Pine St.
The day begins with registration for the “Run for America” at 7 a.m. at the Lions Park gazebo. Runners take off on the one-mile course at 8 a.m., with the 5K and 10K races at 8:15 a.m.
The three-on-three basketball tournament begins at 8 a.m. in Lions Park. Registration and team check-in are at 7:30 a.m.
The Othello Rotary chapter will be serving a community breakfast from 8 to 10 a.m. in the park. The menu includes pancakes, eggs, sausage and beverages.
The steps off down Main Street at 10 a.m. Parade participants line up on Pine Street, next to the park, to 13th Avenue, where the parade actually starts. Parade check-in begins at 9:15 a.m.
Othello City Council members will be walking the parade route collecting cans, boxes and bags of non-perishable food. All food collected will be donated to the Othello Food Bank.
The American flag is raised in a ceremony at 11 a.m. at the park. The local Boy Scout troop will raise the flag, and Othello native Natalie Gomez will sing the national anthem.
The park will have about 20 vendors, including food and merchandise booths and voting registration information.
The children’s games begin at noon. The afternoon will include classics like a tug of war and three legged race, and a “water relay” where contestants will try and fill water buckets with a sponge. There’s also a pitching contest, and a spot for kids to draw on the sidewalk with sidewalk chalk.
The talent show begins at 1 p.m. at the park stage. Entry is $10 per act, and the winner will be determined by audience vote.
Comedian Alex Zerbe will perform at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. in the park; hypnotist Jerry Harris will perform at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Time trials in the annual Demolition Derby begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Adams County Fairgrounds, 831 Reynolds Rd. The derby immediately follows qualifying.
A community church service is scheduled for 6 p.m. in the park. Bob Luhn, pastor of the Othello Church of the Nazarene, will coordinate the service, with the music led by the Othello Assembly of God youth worship band. Othello native Ryan Garza will be the speaker, talking about his recent trip to the Holy Land.
The day winds up with a fireworks display sponsored by the City of Othello.