This past Thursday, July 4, the community of Munising came together to celebrate their annual Fourth of July activities with a full day of events, fun, and patriotic spirit.
The festivities kicked off early in the morning with the Fun Run at 8:30 AM in Bayshore Park. Runners of all ages participated, starting their Independence Day with a burst of energy. Following the run, a solemn Flag Raising ceremony took place at the All Veterans Memorial, honoring the sacrifices of those who have served the country.
At 12:00 PM, the much-anticipated parade began. The Munising Police and Alger County Sheriff kicked it off, leading a vibrant procession of floats, representing local businesses, churches, community organizations, student groups, and political candidates, made its way down Birch Street, across Superior Street, then turned down Cherry Street to Onota Street, and concluded on Elm Avenue by the Elementary School. By 11:00 AM, the streets were already lined with eager spectators, and the crowd was an equal mix of locals, people with ties to the area, and tourists. The parade was well attended along the entire route, with children enthusiastically collecting candy, icicles, and other treats handed out from the passing floats. Leading the parade were the esteemed Grand Marshals, Bill Nash and Royce Williams. There was so much fun and joy shared by the parade floats this year. The Tamarack Camps bus was a particularly jovial example, surrounded by scores of laughing and hooting kids, adding to the festive atmosphere. The parade dispersed as quickly as it started, leaving the streets covered with flattened, melting tootsie rolls. After the parade, many community members headed to the park to enjoy a variety of food and dessert offerings from the food trucks and vendors. The park was buzzing with activities, including live music, a watermelon eating contest, chicken poop bingo, an egg throwing contest, a grease pole challenge, a bounce house, and a children’s carnival. The aroma of Croatian Chicken wafted through the air, enticing many to sample the delicious fare. There were more food vendors participating in this year’s event. Several food vendors reported better turnout this year compared to last year’s event, partly because of the great weather. The vendors main concern was to have enough food to last until the fireworks.
Sean Hayes, one of the key organizers of this event, was often found on a tractor as he hauled away countless barrels of trash. Sean and the huge team of volunteers helped make this event a community treasure and it would not be as successful without their dedication.
Elsewhere in town, additional activities delighted residents, including a pet parade at the courthouse, free ice cream at PSB, and a thrilling water fight hosted by the Munising Volunteer Fire Department. The fire department showered the crowd with water from their hoses before engaging in a playful water battle amongst themselves.
As the day wound down, the excitement built up once more for the evening fireworks, the capstone event of the day. As darkness fell, the skies over Munising lit up with a spectacular display, drawing people from all around to witness the grand finale of a day filled with community spirit and celebration.
The Fourth of July in Munising was a memorable day, marked by a strong sense of togetherness, pride, and fun!
