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Community
Community
IRON RIVER/ALPHA/AMASA — After Covid-19 put a damper on last year’s Fourth of July festivities, Iron County is poised to recommence its Independence Day celebrations for 2021 — less than one month after the county lifted its pandemic-induced state of emergency declaration.
Iron River
Fourth of July events in Iron River are coordinated by the West Side Veterans Council.
The American Legion Reino Post 21 Sons of the American Legion will host a breakfast from 8-11 a.m. The Post will also serve hot dogs and brats from noon to 4 p.m. in front of its location on Washington Avenue.
The parade begins at 2 p.m., with registration starting at noon by the West Iron County High School administration building and lineup taking place by the bus garage. Its theme is patriotism.
The categories are as follows: adult organizations, nonprofit organizations, municipalities, commercial/industrial, youth organizations, horses, non-motorized decorated bikes, farm tractors, comic, and classic and antique vehicles.
The library will host a bike-decorating event on July 1 from 10-11 a.m. in its courtyard, with supplies provided to children for decorating their bikes for entry into the parade.
The parade route will run from the school, down Washington Avenue, and up Genesee Street before ending at 8th Avenue in Iron River.
All veterans are invited to ride the West Side Veterans Council-sponsored trailer. Interested parties can contact Richard Weatherholt at 906-284-0078. All veterans are asked to report to the staging area at the high school at 1:30 p.m. to ride on their designated floats.
The WIC Key Club members will walk the parade route to solicit donations for their organization and to cover the cost of fireworks and parade.
A vintage aircraft flyover is tentatively scheduled for 2:30 p.m., weather permitting.
Fireworks, conducted by the West Iron County Fire Department, will take place at dusk.
Alpha
Alpha’s celebration will start with the raising of the flag at 9 a.m. in the village circle, followed by the Forest Park High School Trojan band’s rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner.
The parade will start at 9:30, with line-up at the Alpha Michigan Brewing Company, and run through Alpha and around the circle before ending back at the brewery. Cracker Jacks and ice cream courtesy of the Alpha-Mastodon Fire Department will follow.
Hot dogs and brats will also be served, following the parade, at the Alpha Community Center. The “Famous Alpha Egg Toss” will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the lawn in front of the Village Hall.
There will be several performances: Gary Friestrom at the Alpha Michigan Brewing Company from 1-2:30 p.m., Fatwood at the Alpha tennis courts from 3-5 p.m. and Sons of Legend taking the same stage at 6 p.m.
There will also be food available from Tasty Rex Bakery from 3-7 p.m. Fireworks will begin at dusk.
Amasa
Amasa’s Independence Day celebrations will begin with a sing-along mass at Grace United Church at 8:30 a.m. Activities will then move to the Joe Mechon Park, beginning with the raising of the flag at 10 a.m., followed by the Albenio Webber Scholarship Award presentation.
The kiddie parade will follow, as well as games and competitions — including a sack race, ping pong, women’s hay bale race, crosscut saw contest and a coin toss at the Amasa Museum — followed by Cracker Jacks and ice cream.
There will be a community picnic at Joe Mechon Park from noon to 3 p.m., during which there will be a duck race on the Hemlock River hosted by the Amasa Historical Society, followed by their raffle drawing. There will also be a community baseball game starting at 2 p.m.