Bethel prepares for July 4 holiday

THE DRUMS STAFF

June 26, 2008 at 2:42PM AKST

A parade through town and a bevy of other activities highlight the schedule for Bethel’s Independence Day celebration, entitled “Happy Birthday Alaska! 50 Years Old.”

The parade begins at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 4 at the Joe Lomack building. Lineup for the parade begins an hour earlier.

The parade route will be lead by a grand marshal, and judges will track entries along the route, which begins at Swanson’s. It continues down to Chief Eddie Hoffman Highway to Watson’s Corner, past the Alaska Commercial Co. store before turning at Yolanda’s onto Mission Road at the Bethel Youth Center — a one-way road during the parade — and onto Akiachak Street towards Pinky’s Park.

An Independence Day celebration takes place from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. at Pinky’s Park.

The road paralleling Pinky’s Park will be closed for public safety for the day. Traffic will be restricted to only emergency traffic.

The celebration schedule includes:

• Vendor booths, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

• Entertainment, 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

• Youth games and family activities, 11 a.m.

• One-pitch adult softball tournament, 11:30 a.m.

• Community pillow fight and tug-of-war.

• Ribbons for parade entry winners, 5 p.m.

• Raffle ticket winners announced, 5:30 p.m.

Parade entry and vendor booth rental forms are available at the Bethel Youth Center or by calling Ronda Sargent at 543-2088. Parade entry forms can also be found at www.cityofbethel.org.

Entertainers who would like to perform should call Sargent at 543-7711.