Leelanau will be all red, white and blue Thursday and into the weekend as we celebrate the 248th anniversary of the creation of the Declaration of Independence.
Orchard tours have been held all week at the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Center and will conclude Friday, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
However, you don’t have to wait too long to celebrate as there are several activities planned on the eve of the 4th as well.
In Glen Arbor, the Northwestern Michigan Concert Band will perform patriotic music and many musical favorites at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Glen Arbor Township Park.
Leland’s Village Green is the site of the annual Patriotic Hymn Sing, Wednesday at 8 p.m. The annual event will include patriotic songs, prayers for the nation and recognition of veterans. Bring a blanket or lawn chair and your voices to sing along. Sponsored by Immanuel Lutheran Church.
The annual fireworks display in Leland was in jeopardy earlier this year, as the Leland Chamber of Commerce, the sponsor of the event, was unable to hold its main money-maker, the Leland Food and Wines Festival in June. Hearing this, there was a successful grassroots community effort to raise the money for the fireworks display. Fireworks over Hancock Field are a go at dusk Wednesday.
After your coffee Thursday morning, head on out to Old Settlers Park for the Glen Lake Woman’s Club traditional raising of the flag at 10 a.m. This will be followed by a singalong of well-loved and familiar patriotic songs.
Eric Carlson, the featured speaker, is best known in Leelanau County for his 25-year career as a reporter and columnist for the Leelanau Enterprise newspaper. He will share his views on the importance of a free press to our nation, especially in times of war and domestic confl ict. Before he began working at the Leelanau Enterprise in 1998, he served for 25 years in the United States Marine Corps as a combat correspondent and a public affairs officer. He is a veteran of the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, and the Somali Civil War.
At the same time Rink Smith and eight other “patriots” will be at each county post offices reading the Declaration of Independence. This is the 11th year for Smith, ninth county wide.
The Stan Brubaker “Anything Goes” parade is set for noon in Glen Arbor. Brubaker and his wife, Jo, are credited with establishing the parade more than 50 years ago. Stan died in the spring of 2023 and the community formally renamed the event later this year.
Our Fourth of July parade was started over 50 years ago by Stan and Jo Brubaker. According to Stan, his wife Jo really started it by just taking kids and wagons in Glen Haven for some fun. The parade has grown to what it is today. The Glen Arbor Fourth of July parade will always be known as “Stan Brubaker’s Anything Goes Parade.”
Parade units will gather at 10:30 a.m. at the cannery in Glen Haven and prepare to head to Glen Arbor for the event, set for noon.
The fun continues as boats — all decked out in red,white and blue — will ply the waters of Glen Lake for a boat parade 2 p.m.
Not up to water play? The National Park Service will have a firing of the Lyle Gun at Glen Haven also at 2 p.m.
In Leland, kids will be decorating their bikes from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Old Art Building. There will also be face painting, in preparation for the Leland July 4th parade, at 3 p.m.
The parade route is south to north and runs from Christmas Tree Corner up to the Village Green, where a free concert is set for 5 p.m.
Northport will celebrate our nation’s birthday in grand fashion with music by the Village Voices and Northport Community Band. Marina park is a hub of activity. Come for the music and stay for the fireworks, expected to ignite at dusk.
Other activities include
• National Cherry Festival Fireworks — July 4, 10:30 p.m. Show over West Grand Traverse Bay, cherryfestival.org.
• Northport Music in the Park; Dune Brothers, 7 to 9 p.m., July 5, Northport Marina Park www. northportomenachamber.org
• National Cherry Festival Fireworks Finale, July 6, 10:30 p.m. Show over West Grand Traverse Bay, cherryfestival.org.
