The national anthem will echo through the hills of the Palouse, the LC valley, Orofino’s city park and eventually over the mountains around Elk River. Here’s a round-up of some local Independence Day celebrations:
Lewiston — Show ’n’ Shine car show and a good ol’ fashioned Family Fun Day begins at noon today. Events include a children’s parade of wheels, local food vendors, old fashioned fire truck rides, stagecoach rides and children’s games, entertainment and activities. Lewis-Clark Community Concert Band will play classic patriotic music at 4:30 p.m. in Pioneer Park, 203 Fifth St.
For more information, contact Brandon “Beeg” Johnson at bjohnson@cityoflewiston.org.
The third annual Walking with Ancestors tour will also take place today 9-11:30 a.m. at Lewiston’s Normal Hill Cemetery and will feature eight couples from the Nez Perce County Pioneer Association. Attendees should bring comfortable walking shoes and a folding chair.
Clarkston — Community Spirit, a non-profit organization, will host their 28th annual Independence Day Fireworks show from Adams Field at Clarkston High School. Gates open at 6 p.m. today and live entertainment begins at 7 p.m. with the band Cold Creek. The public is invited to bring lawn chairs, blankets or sit in the grandstands.
Dinner and concessions are available for purchase. Donations are requested to support the cost of the aerial fireworks, which begin at 10 p.m.
Pullman — Hitch a free ride downtown for Pullman’s Fourth of July celebration. With free park-and-ride service to Sunnyside Park beginning at 4:15 p.m. today, Pullman Transit is opening up the E, C and H routes for those who park at Dissmore’s IGA, Higginson’s Flooring Center and Sleep Shop, Living Faith Fellowship, Pullman Aquatics Center, Safeway, Walmart and Wheatland Shopping Center.
Fourth of July offerings include games, cotton candy, popcorn, pie, ice cream and live entertainment, starting with the Community Band of the Palouse at 5:30 p.m., followed by Dan Maher at 6:30 p.m. and concluding with The Fabulous Kingpins from 7:15 p.m. to dusk. A barbecue begins at 5 p.m. at the Sunnyside Park shelter, while treats will be sold to support the event and fireworks display, which shoot off at 10 p.m.
For more information, contact Amberly Boone, Pullman Chamber of Commerce event coordinator at events@pullmanchamber.com. Transit routes are listed at the Pullman Transit website, pullmantransit.com.
Johnson — Ten miles south of Pullman sits a town with a few hundred residents, but come time for Fourth of July and the crowd grows into the thousands. A pancake breakfast begins at 8 a.m. today and the parade starts at 10 a.m. at the Johnson firehouse.
Locals suggest parking the car overnight to get a good spot, or to come early — before breakfast time.
Albion — A parade, led by the Albion Fire Department starts at 11 a.m. today at Albion City Hall. A picnic will follow the parade at 12 p.m. with food from South Fork Public House.
For more information, call the Fire Department at (509) 334-5489.
Moscow — Strut your mutt and show your colors at Moscow’s Independence Day celebration in Friendship Square. Beginning at noon today, a color guard will showcase the Presentation of Colors, while Moscow citizens will read the Pledge of Allegiance, sing the National Anthem and Mayor Nancy Chaney and former City Councillor Linda Paul will read the Declaration of Independence. Don Burnett, interim president at the University of Idaho, will also attend.
The mutt strut, featuring local pooches are dressed to the nines (or at least the sevens), will be judged as usual by Mayor Chaney. Registration begins around 11:45 a.m. and all events will conclude by 1 p.m. Those who attend receive free ice cream bars.
Orofino — An all-American barbecue will kick off this Fourth of July festival at 4 p.m. today in Orofino City Park, followed by music from the Crawford Graham Band at 7 p.m. A color guard ceremony and the singing of the national anthem begin at 6:15 p.m. The Maniac Extreme Twirlers will finish off the night at 9:30 p.m. before fireworks shoot off at 10:10 p.m.
Elk River — “Fireworks in the Mountains” will take place about 9:45 p.m. Saturday from the airstrip in the middle of Elk River. The Elk River Fireworks committee will have their barbecued hamburger and hotdog stand by Elk Butte Recreation on Front Street from 6 p.m. until the fireworks show starts.
For more information, email csmclam@elkriveridaho.com.
