Big fun set for Fourth

Fourth of July celebrants will again answer the call to a variety of attractions in many parts of the county. The first fireworks volley will be fired Saturday night at Boyer Marina, and action will pick up again Sunday with celebrations starting at Johnson and continuing on to Albion, Endicott and Pullman.

ALBION

Albion will burst to life at noon on the Fourth with a city parade, followed by a flag ceremony and lunch served by the Moose Lodge of Pullman at the community center.

The parade is open to anyone.

Pastor Bill Lyons and wife Arline are the grand marshals for this year’s Albion parade. Lyons has been pastor of the Albion Community Church for many years.

ENDICOTT

Sack races, Civil War re-enactors and belly dancing will be part of Endicott’s celebration that is capped with one of the county’s best fireworks shows.

Native son Tony Anderson will put together his annual fireworks show. Celebrants have migrated to catch his explosions for the past nine years.

Festivities will begin at 2 p.m. with members of the Washington Civil War Association giving an insight into mid-19th Century life, face painting, all-out volleyball and an antique car and tractor show. Anyone is encouraged to bring in their vintage automobiles.

Hamburger service starts at 3 p.m. Games will include sack races, water balloon toss and a cookie stacking contest.

Pie and ice cream will be served beginning at 5 p.m., followed by a lineup of entertainment, featuring music by John Elwood and Sally Burkhart, belly dancers and a special veterans tribute.

At dusk, Doug Carlson will sing the national anthem, and Anderson’s rockets will take over the night sky.

JOHNSON

Like a pack of M-80s, the United States’ birthday brings an explosion of celebrants to Johnson every year. The town’s first Independence Day parade brought four Druffel daughters out with a flag, drum and flute to entertain their neighbors. This year’s edition, the 43rd, will feature hundreds of entrants moving down the Busby-Johnson Road in front of thousands of spectators.

Festivities begin at 7 a.m. with a breakfast of ham, eggs, fruit, coffee and traditional cinnamon rolls, all served by Johnson Grangers, in the town’s old Schoolhouse.

Breakfast service ends at 9:30 a.m., just in time for revelers to fill up water pistols and move to the parade route.

PULLMAN

Pullman’s Sunnyside Park lights up this Fourth of July with the usual explosion of fireworks. The 20-minute fireworks show begins at 10 p.m., at the park.

Five hours before, at 5 p.m., vendors will open in the park, selling festival food all night. American specials such as hamburgers, sausage dogs, hotdogs, BBQ beef sandwiches and cotton candy will be offered.

Pullman Community Band will begin the music performances at 5:30 p.m. followed at 6 p.m. by a flag ceremony by members of the American Legion and the Pullman fire department honor guard.

Folksinger Dan Maher will perform from 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

At 7 p.m., the Kingpins will mount the stage. This band has been playing the Pullman Fourth of July event for years with their electric rock and roll hits.

BOYER PARK

Fireworks will once again be lit off over the Boyer Park marina Saturday night, July 3, at 10 p.m. Fireworks watchers can sit in the park, or out on boats to witness the display.

Boyer camp sites are fully booked for the weekend.