Parade, run, fireworks on tap for Fourth of July in Tri-Cities
Thu, Jul 2, 2009 
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BY BECKY VARGO
bvargo@grandhaventribune.com
Fireworks and a parade will highlight Fourth of July activities in the Tri-Cities on Saturday.
The annual Patriot's Day Run will also be held Saturday.
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The Grand Haven Area Jaycees fireworks display will take place following the Musical Fountain show, which begins at 10:10 p.m. The fireworks company has music that goes with the display, and it will be played through the Musical Fountain's sound system.
The $22,000 fireworks show will be a little smaller than last year, but it will still take 20-25 minutes to display — said Nicole Rant, chairwoman of the event for the Jaycees.
Donations pay for the entire display, Rant said.
"We had to take the economy into factor," she said.
The fireworks show is one of the biggest fundraisers for the Jaycees.
Jaycees members will be strolling through the crowd selling necklaces and accepting donations to help defray the costs. Anyone wishing to make a contribution or buy a necklace should be able to find one of the Jaycees, who will be wearing ID tags, in the vicinity of the Chamber of Commerce office at the corner of Washington Avenue and Harbor Drive.
Contributions can also be sent to the Grand Haven Area Jaycees at P.O. Box 413, Grand Haven, MI 49417.
A free community breakfast, sponsored by the Ferrysburg City Council, will be held prior to a parade on Saturday morning. The breakfast will take place at the former Ferrysburg Elementary School, 17290 Roosevelt Road, from 8-10 a.m. Parking is at the Walden Green lot across the street.
Children must be accompanied by an adult for the breakfast.
Parade participants will begin lining up at 10 a.m. at the former Ferrysburg Elementary School. The parade will start at 10:30 a.m. and will move east along Ridge Avenue to Pine Street, then proceed south on Pine Street to Fourth Street. Once the parade reaches Fourth Street, it will move onto the sidewalk and continue to William Ferry Park.
Anyone may walk, ride their bike or nonmotorized scooter, or pull a wagon in the parade. A Harbor Transit trolley will also be available for those who would like a ride in the parade.
Ridge Avenue, from 174th Avenue to Pine Street, and Pine Street to Third Street will be closed to traffic during the parade.
U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland, will serve as the parade's grand marshal.
Post-parade festivities at William Ferry Park will include a flag-raising ceremony, food, games and prizes.
In the event of severe weather, local radio station WGHN (92.1 FM) will provide information.
The annual Patriot's Day Run is back to July 4. The 5K race begins at 8:30 a.m. at Grand Haven High School. A Family Fun Run will follow.
"Last year, we tried a Saturday date of July 5, but it has been much more successful on the Fourth of July and we are all excited to again be running the race in the morning of the holiday," Grand Haven High School boys cross country coach Tom Laughlin said.
The race is sponsored by the varsity cross country teams to fund a middle school program.
Athletes interested in participating can register online at www.greatlakeschampionchip.com or pick up an application at Running Circles in downtown Grand Haven, the Tri-Cities Family YMCA or Grand Haven High School. For more information, call Laughlin at 846-5518.
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Streets closed for fireworks
The Grand Haven Department of Public Safety is planning on closing several city streets for the Fourth of July fireworks display.
The following streets will be closed beginning at 6 p.m. to shortly before midnight: Harbor Drive between Sherman and North First, Washington from Harbor to First, Franklin from Harbor to First, Clinton from Harbor to First, Lafayette from Harbor to First, and Howard from Harbor to Sand.
No vehicle traffic will be allowed in these areas after 6 p.m.
Franklin Avenue will become one-way eastbound at 10 p.m. to accommodate traffic flow following the fireworks, GHDPS Director Dennis Edwards said, and officers will be at each intersection on Franklin between Harbor Drive and Beacon Boulevard to assist with eastbound and cross traffic.
Seventh Street from Franklin north to Beacon will also be closed from 10 p.m. to about midnight to facilitate safe traffic flow at the completion of the fireworks, Edwards said.
There will be no parking on Franklin from Beacon to Harbor to facilitate an emergency vehicle-only lane from the downtown area from 6 p.m. Saturday to 2 a.m. Sunday.
In addition to the street closures, multiple temporary no-parking zones will be posted and strictly enforced, Edwards said.
The U.S. 31 drawbridge will not be raised from 10:45 p.m. Saturday to 2 a.m. Sunday.
