Mill City
Mill City starts celebrating “Hats Off to America” Friday, July 3 at 3 p.m. with a crafts fair, food vendors, displays and much more at the Kimmel Park Festival Grounds. Wooden Nickel will again host a Beer Garden.
“The Beer Garden is open to families as well, which gives people an opportunity to enjoy some really good food,” said Susann Heller, parade chair. “There are always fun things going on for a variety of ages.”
Old fashion family games kick off at 5 p.m.
Everyone is invited to try their skills in the third annual horse shoe tournament at 5 p.m. and the 39th annual Mutt Show takes place at 7 p.m. The show is a chance to earn bragging rights on whose four-legged friend has the most spirit, spunk and cuteness.
On Saturday, July 4, festivities kick off with the Lions Club Breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m. Cost for the breakfast is $6 for adults and $4 for children 12 and under.
The Mill City Grand Parade begins at noon, with a line up of equestrians, floats, cars, emergency vehicles and big rigs.
The parade starts at the intersection of Linn Boulevard and Eighth Avenue and ends at Kimmel Park. Then everyone is stick around for the activities, including the display of a Life Flight helicopter at 2 p.m.
Music will be played by Psycho Billy’s between 2 and 5 p.m. and the Reckless Rockhounds from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. prior to the fireworks display.
The fireworks, presented by the Mill City Volunteer Fire Department, will shoot off at dusk, around 10 p.m.
For more information, call 503-897-2302.
Detroit Lake
Detroit Lake’s Fireworks Over the Lake falls on Saturday, July 11 this year.
“We will fire them off this year from a new and improved location,” said Bob Franz, a member of Detroit Lake Recreation Area Business Association, the major sponsor for the annual event.
“Everyone should be able to see them from just about any location around the lake.”
Franz calls the approximately 30-minute show “spectacular,” an annual favorite, causing the tiny resort town to swell from a few hundred to thousands.
The fireworks show is funded by local residents, businesses and clubs, including DLRABA, and annual events such as the Cruise In and Fishing Derby.
On Friday, July 10, people can enjoy hamburgers, hot dogs and drinks at the annual pre-fireworks extravaganza and fundraiser, held 5-11 p.m. at 455 Clester Road, across from Kane’s Marina. The barbecue is children and family-friendly. Questions can be directed to Sandi Elwood at 503-881-5226.
Area campgrounds can fill as early as January. The Oregon Department of Forestry camps, which are first-come, first-served, may offer last-minute opportunities for families interested in camping, organizers said.
Organizers encourage viewers to dress warmly and carry a high-power flashlight to get around.
For more information, e-mail dlraba@hotmail.com or visit http://detroitlakeoregon.org.
