Greatest Fourth in the North hits Onaway this weekend
Onaway will be a buzz of activity this weekend as the annual Fourth of July celebration begins on Friday. Friday the Schmidt Amusement carnival will be open and a 90s street dance will be held on South Veterans Drive from 8 p.m. until midnight. Performing at the street dance will be the Billy Jewel Band. Presque Isle Electric and Gas Co-op sponsors the dance.
The carnival will be open again on Saturday and a juried arts and crafts show will take place on the courthouse lawn from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. A classic car show will also be held at Onaway High School from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Qualifying at the Onaway Speedway takes place at 5 p.m. with races to start at 7 p.m. An antique tractor show will be the intermission entertainment at Saturday?s races.
Juried arts and crafts continue Sunday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the courthouse. The Kiddie Parade, which starts at the courthouse; will begin at 11:30 a.m. while the Grand Parade will begin at 12:30 p.m. led by grand marshal Mick O?Meara. The theme for the parade is the 90s.
With the program being cut due to funding problems, the Onaway High School Marching Band, without their beloved director Lexi Signor, will come together to be a part of the grand parade. ?I think they should be recognized for pulling together for the parade,? said chamber of commerce executive director Bev Brougham.
According to Brougham there are already a lot of floats registered for the parade as well as a lot of politicians. The parade will feature the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) color guard, the Petoskey Steel Drum Band, the Onaway Horse Clubs, fire departments, local p
Following the parade the White Pines Celtic Band and Dancers will perform a free performance at Chandler Park. The fireman?s water battle will also take place on State Street.
The VFW chicken barbecue begins at 11 a.m. and goes until sold out and a salad bar luncheon will be held at St. Paul Hall from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. The United Methodist Church ice cream social will be held at 2 p.m. on Lynn Street and the Onaway Schools Alumni tent across from the post office will be open from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Wrapping up the weekend events and celebrating the Fourth of July will be a dusk fireworks show. Fireworks will be launched from Horrocks field north of town on M-211 and can be seen for miles around. ?The weather looks perfect for the weekend, and any weekend spent in Onaway is a perfect weekend? said Brougham.