4th of July Parade on July 3rd
Organizers for the annual “4th of July Parade” in Willow Springs are actively seeking participants to portray famous people from 1620 to the present. The parade will begin at 10:00 A.M. at Booster field and end at the YMCA. Some of the historical characters on parade will be George Washington, Betsy Ross., Patrick Henry, Susan B. Anthony, Wilbur and Orville Wright, Clara Barton, Statue of Liberty, Abraham Lincoln, Uncle Sam, Ronald Reagan, Wendell Willkie, Abigail Adams, Mark Twain, Johnny Appleseed, Paul Bunyan and Davy Crockett. You can choose your own character. Some possibilities are Paul Revers, Alexander Hamilton, Sacajawea, Carrie Nation, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Amelia Earhart, Benjamin Franklin, Buffalo Bill, Annie Oakley, Thomas Jefferson, Daniel Boone, calamity Jane, Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, and Woodrow Wilson.
If you don’t want to be an historical character you can be an hysterical character, that is, a clown. Clowns of all ages are welcome. Clown costumes will be available for loan at the Star Theatre Annex on Wednesday June 30 from 5-7 P.M. and on the day of the parade, July 3rd, from 8-9:30 A.M. Free face paintings will also be available from 8-9:30 A.M. You can walk or ride in the parade. Bring a prop to make entertaining the crowd even more fun.
Immediately after the parade a patriotic ceremony will take place in the park east of the water park. Historical characters will have a chance to speak as we celebrate our freedoms. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy hot dogs, drinks, and more on sale by the Willow Springs High School girls softball team, directed by Lisa Durnell. The swimming pool will open at 11:00 A.M. at a reduced rate of $2 fro all swimmers. For more information contact Jane Bailey at 469-2588 or Wendell Bailey at 252-0230