Onaway summer festival has four days of jam-packed events
Onaway?s Fourth of July celebration promises to be the biggest summer event to hit the Sturgeon Capitol in years, with entertainment, musical acts, carnival rides, special activities, and food. And of course, to commemorate the 231st birthday of America, there will be a fireworks display north of the city limits.
But the fireworks will not bring an end to the annual summer party; it will be the first of four days of activities.
The Onaway Area Chamber of Commerce is attempting to build the event with each successive holiday and make it ?bigger and better than ever,? said chamber executive director Bev Brougham.
This year, the chamber is bringing back a rich, and oftentimes unrecognized piece of Onaway?s heritage, with a lumberjack show Friday July 6, at Horrocks Field. There will be three shows at 2 p.m., 4 p.m., and 6 p.m.
Chamber officials are extremely thrilled about bringing the show to town. There will be logrolling demonstrations in a 5,500 gallon tank, pole climbing, ax tossing, and hot sawing.
Some of the performers have appeared on ESPN and CBS television. People are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets. Admission is $5 per person. Another new event will be a street dance Friday on Veterans Drive inside the beer tent. The road will be closed for a live performance of ?The ?Drifters? from Cheboygan.
WEDNESDAY THE Fourth is when the activities really get cooking. At 10 a.m., Schmidt Amusements opens up in the State Street parking lot across from Dairy Queen. It begins a four-day run (Wednesday-Saturday). Their hours will be 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day. The arts and crafts show will on the courthouse lawn until 4 p.m.
Lineup for the kiddie parade is at 11 a.m., with the parade to follow at 11:30 a.m. The grand parade with grand marshal Tom Madison and his wife Nancy gets underway at 12:30 p.m. The theme this year is the 1960s, as the chamber makes its way through the decades over the next decade. Next year the theme is the 1970s, and so on. Brougham said Tom Moran has an entry again this year, although it is being kept a tightly kept secret.
Following the parade sealed bids will be opened to determine who will receive Moran Iron Work?s 2006 parade entry, ?Atlas.? Money raised will support United Communities Foundation of Presque Isle County.
ONAWAY AREA Alumni Association also will have a tent set up near Atlas, to sign up any person who ever attended Onaway Schools.
Wednesday afternoon includes the many familiar staples of previous Onaway celebrations with the annual water battle at Elm and State, the VFW chicken barbecue dinner, United Methodist Church ice cream so
ON THURSDAY, back by popular demand is 11-year-old Anthony Wyatt, who ?wowed? crowds at Chandler Park with his performance on the saxophone. He begins playing at 4:30 p.m. He?ll be followed by Dave and Ellie McLellan and Keith Brewer. The acapella group ?Overtones? entertain at 6 p.m.
ALONG WITH the lumberjack show and street dance Friday, there is a tractor pull at Amy?s Arena and NAMRA Formula Indy cars at the speedway.
SATURDAY IS the Classic Auto and Bike Show at the Onaway High School from 10 a.m. until their cruise through town at 4:30 p.m.
The 7th annual Antique Tractor show picks up steam at Amy?s Arena with activities throughout the day, continuing into Sunday.