Your official guide to celebrations in Dallas...

Your official guide to celebrations inDallas, Independence and Monmouth

A special section of the Polk County Itemizer-ObserverJune 29, 2016 • Section C

2C 4th of July Celebrations Polk County Itemizer-Observer • June 29, 2016

The smell of freshly spun cottoncandy, roasting corn, sunscreenand sulfur can only mean one

thing: It’s time again to celebrate Amer-ica’s birthday, and nobody does it betterthan Polk County.Whether you prefer a more laid-back

atmosphere or the excitement of adrena-line-rushing carnival rides, one of ourthree cities will have something for you.Celebrations kick off Friday night at In-

dependence Riverview Park with a show-ing of “Jurassic World.” Many food trucksalso will be open Friday night, so grab ablanket and get ready to enjoy a dinosaurmovie of epic proportions — picnic op-tional.Don’t forget to brave the carnival rides

on Friday for only $1.Saturday, festivities continue in Inde-

pendence with the annual HometownCelebration, a time set aside for locals tocome out and enjoy the parks — and anevening fireworks display — withoutfighting the crowds of tens of thousandsthat gather there for the Fourth.Monmouth’s new Art in the Park fes-

tivities open at noon, with a CommunityArt Show at its new home in the fire hallacross from Main Street Park on WarrenStreet, and arts and crafts for children.Three bands will take the new stage at

the amphitheater at Main Street Parkthroughout the day on Saturday, all locals. Sunday, you’ll have a choice between

Monmouth and Independence. With thecities so close together, it isn’t difficult toexplore what both have to offer. Churchservices will open the festivals in both lo-cales, followed by concerts and activities.

In Monmouth, the Willamette ValleyConcert Band will play its patriotic concertSunday night. In Independence, the bandRomance will fill the air with Latino beats. The evening wraps up in Independence

with a showing of “McFarland, USA.”Unfortunately, Falls City will not host its

traditional Third of July festivities thisyear, as volunteers and money were lack-ing. We hope to see it make a come-backnext year.Monday, Dallas, Independence and

Monmouth have something going on.From the Polk County Firefighters

Breakfast in Independence, to the MiniMarathon in Monmouth, followed by thechildren’s parade and the start of the Mon-mouth Independence Rotary Grand Pa-

rade — which finishes at Riverview Park— the morning is packed full with events.In Dallas, the festivities begin at 5 p.m.

at Roger Jordan Park. The celebration,called Freedomfest, is shorter than it hasbeen in the past, with no sanctioned bar-becue contest taking place in the morningand afternoon. But that doesn’t mean Dallas residents

have to leave town to celebrate the coun-try’s birthday. Famous food trucks, Black Rock BBQ, El

Pique and JT’s Food Truck will be servingdinner, and Johnny Wheels and theSwamp Donkeys will take the entertain-ment stage at 5:30 p.m.The Dallas Fire Department will launch

the fireworks show at dusk.

Thousands of people line the streets for the Monmouth-Independence RotaryGrand Parade every year in Monmouth and Independence.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA!

Inside:• Schedule of Events — Page 4C• Western Days — Page 6C• Monmouth— Page 8C• Freedomfest — Page 10C• Tennis Tournament — Page 12C• Mini-Marathon preview— Page 14C• M-I Rotary Grand Parade — Page

16C• Pancake breakfast — Page 18C• Concert band — Page 18C• Rick’s Place open house — Page 18C• Community Art Show — 0C• Musical entertainment — Page 20C• Fireworks — Page 22C• Ice cream fundraiser— Page 22C• Volunteers needed— Page 22C

Polk County Itemizer-Observer • June 29, 2016 4th of July Celebrations 3C


2016 Fourth of July Celebration EventsMONMOUTH FOURTH OF JULY FESTIVALAll events at Main Street Park unless noted

SATURDAY, JULY 2• 10 a.m. — Festival opens• 10 a.m.-5 p.m. — Bounce Houses open• 10 a.m.-5 p.m. — Vendors open• Noon-12:30 p.m. — Monmouth Taiko Drummers• Noon-5 p.m. — Community Art Show• Noon-5 p.m. — Beer and wine garden• 1-3 p.m. — Shinkle Band (country)• 3:15-4 p.m. — Zumba in the Park• 4:15-5 p.m. — New Horizons Willamette Valley Orchestra• 5 p.m. — Festival closes

SUNDAY, JULY 3• 10 a.m. — Festival opens• 10-11:15 a.m. — Church in the park• 10 a.m.-6 p.m. — Vendors open• Noon-1:30 p.m. — Phil Ward and the Way Walkers (Christ-

ian)• Noon-3 p.m. — Children’s arts and crafts (in gazebo)• Noon-6 p.m. — Bounce Houses open• Noon-6 p.m. — Community Art Show• 2-4 p.m. — Castletown (Celtic)• 2-9 p.m. — Beer and Wine Garden opens• 4:30-6:30 p.m. — Albany Swing Band (big band)• 6:30-8:30 p.m. —Willamette Valley Concert Band • 9 p.m. — Festival closes

MONDAY, JULY 4• 9 a.m. — Festival opens• 9 a.m.-5 p.m. — Vendors open• 9 a.m.-3 p.m. — Community Art Show• 10 a.m.-2 p.m. — Classic Car Show• 10 a.m.-5 p.m. — Bounce Houses open• 11:30 a.m. — Mini-Marathon• 11:35 a.m. — Children’s Parade• Noon — Monmouth-Independence Rotary Grand Parade• Noon-5 p.m. — Children’s Arts and Crafts (in gazebo)• 1:30-4:30 p.m. — Charlie Horse (rock)• 5 p.m. — Festival closes

INDEPENDENCE WESTERN DAYSAll events at Riverview Park unless noted

FRIDAY, JULY 1• 6-10 p.m. — Carnival opens• 10 p.m. — Movie in the Park: “Jurassic World” PG-13

SATURDAY, JULY 2• Noon-7 p.m. — Kids activities• 2 p.m.-midnight — Vendors open• 4 p.m. — Watermelon eating contest• 7 p.m. — Diva Dance• 8:30-9:45 p.m. — Petty Fever (Tom Petty tribute band)• 10 p.m. — Hometown fireworks show ($1)• 10:45-11:30 p.m. — Petty Fever (Tom Petty tribute band)

SUNDAY, JULY 3• 10 a.m. — Church service in the amphitheater• Noon — Carnival opens• 2-10 p.m. — Vendors open• 6 p.m. — Aaron Crawford (country rock)• 8:30-9:45 p.m. — Romance (traditional Latino)• 10 p.m. — Movie in the Park: “McFarland, USA” PG

MONDAY, JULY 4• 6-10 a.m. — Pancake breakfast (at Polk County Fire District

No. 1) • 11:30 a.m. — 44th annual Mini-Marathon• Noon — Monmouth-Independence Rotary Grand Parade• Noon-7 p.m. — Kids activities• Noon-midnight — Vendors open• 8:30-9:45 p.m. — Infamous Souls (classic rock)• 10 p.m. — Fireworks ($1)• 10:45-11:30 p.m. —Infamous Souls (classic rock)

DALLAS FREEDOMFESTMONDAY, JULY 4

• 5 p.m.— Food Trucks (Roger Jordan Community Park)• 5:30-8:30 p.m. — Swamp Donkeys (Roger Jordan Commu-

nity Park)• Dusk — Fireworks (Roger Jordan Community Park)

• POLK COUNTY 2016 INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS •Published by the Polk County Itemizer-Observer Newspaper147 SE Court St., P.O. Box 108, Dallas, OR 97338 • 503-623-2373 • www.polkio.com •

on Facebook, Instagram and TwitterJolene Guzman, Lukas Eggen, Emily Mentzer, writers; Lukas Eggen, design; Heidi Leppin and Rachel Best, display

advertising; Karen Sanks, client services; Kathy Huggins and Karyn Pressel, production; Dawn Ohren, classified lineadvertising/reception. Happy birthday, America!


The fireworks displays during Independence’s Fourth of July celebration are spectacular sights.

Celebrating Independence with a bangWhat better place to celebrate

America’s Independence Daythan in Independence, Oregon?

The city makes a four-day event out ofAmerica’s birthday this year, kickingthings off on Friday with a movie and thecarnival, both at Riverview Park and Am-phitheater. The movie, “Jurassic World,” isfree, and the carnival will feature rides for$1 on Friday.Saturday is perhaps the favorite day for

residents: Independence’s HometownCelebration.“The idea behind it is it gives the locals

the opportunity to come out and see thefireworks show and participate in the fes-tivities,” said Janice Thompson, chair ofthe Western Days commission. “A lot ofthem don’t like to come out on the Fourthbecause of the traffic.”It’s a special day for Independence, with

a watermelon-eating contest, concerts,pyrotechnics and all the vendors. Chil-dren’s crafts open at noon.“Christal Sperling from Curves will be

hosting Diva Dance,” Thompson said. “It’sgeared toward women, but it’s not just forwomen. It’s a really fun dance workout.”Tom Petty tribute band Petty Fever will

end the day before the fireworks at dusk.A $1 fee is collected to view the fireworks.On Sunday, the Western Days commis-

sion decided to do something new,Thompson said.

“We have a very big Hispanic culturebetween Independence and Monmouth,”she said. “We decided to tailor Sunday to-ward our Hispanic community.”A church service starts the morning in

the amphitheater before the vendors andcarnival open at noon.Local Latino band, Romance, will per-

form, along with an evening concert byAaron Crawford, country music artist. The

movie, “McFarland, USA,” will be shownin the amphitheater.On the Fourth of July, the park comes

alive after the Monmouth-IndependenceRotary Grand Parade makes its way downMain Street. During the parade, people may pur-

chase bracelets for $1 for admission to thefireworks show. The bracelets also are avail-able from Les Schwab in Independence.“People who have those bracelets are

directed to the front of the line or an alter-nate entrance,” Thompson said.Bracelets are only good for the Fourth

of July, not for the Hometown Celebrationfireworks show on Saturday.Classic rock band Infamous Soul will

entertain the crowd of thousands beforeand after the fireworks show.Thompson has been on the Western

Days commission for years and ends upcamping out at the park all week long. “My favorite part is probably the fire-

works on the Fourth of July,” she said. “Notthe show itself, but during that time, we sitback and look out over the park and seethere’s not an empty space in the park ex-cept for under that big old tree where noone could see.”To see the families who come out and

enjoy the four-day holiday bash that Inde-pendence and the volunteers on the West-ern Days commission put on makes thehard work worth it, Thompson said.

The Fourth of July grand parade is oneof many highlights during Indepen-dence’s Fourth of July celebration.


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The Monmouth-Independence Rotary Club Grand Parade children’s parade provides a memorable experience.

Celebrating the Fourth in styleThe Fourth of July in Monmouth is

the epicenter of the Monmouth-Independence Rotary Grand Pa-

rade and the annual Mini Marathon. It’swhere all the fun starts on the Fourth, butMain Street Park is bustling with activitiesall weekend.Monmouth’s Hometown Stars and

Stripes begins on Saturday with Art in thePark, a new focus on arts and crafts. Thecommunity art show will be moved intothe old fire house across the street fromMain Street Park.The festival opens at 10 a.m. with ven-

dors in the park.Bounce houses return, but will be

placed near the gazebo and splash foun-tain rather than the lawn area.With the amphitheater freshly built,

and new grass trying to grow in, Commu-nity Development Manager Mark Fanceysaid the lawn will have to be watered eachnight.New restrooms are completed near the

area with the bounce houses, so it willmake a convenient location, Fanceynoted.Speaking of the new amphitheater, the

first band to open on Saturday will beMonmouth Taiko Drummers, which willput the acoustics to the test, Fancey said.

Saturday’s lineup will comprise all localacts, he said, with the Shinkle Band at 1p.m. and the New Horizons WillametteValley Orchestra at 4:15.Children’s arts and crafts will be a

theme throughout the weekend, startingwith activities from noon to 5 p.m. on Sat-urday. Sunday, Home Depot volunteerswill work with children on projects fromnoon to 3. Fancey said Home Depot often organ-

izes children’s building projects that in-clude things like making birdhouses.Sunday morning, leaders from a num-

ber of different local churches will hold aservice in Main Street Park at 10 a.m. Sunday’s entertainment lineup in-

cludes a Christian band, the Albany SwingBand, and Castletown, a Celtic band.The evening wraps up with the

Willamette Valley Concert band, directedby Richard Sorenson at 6:30.On the Fourth, Monmouth is the place

to be for the annual classic car show onEcols Street, the Mini Marathon startingline, and the children’s mini parade, whichtakes off at 11:35 a.m.Thousands of people line the streets for

these events, putting chairs out early —sometimes days in advance. Some local businesses have requested

residents wait until after business hours toplace chairs for the parades on Monday toallow patrons access to the sidewalks.More arts and crafts will continue

throughout the afternoon until 5, whenthe festival closes for the year.At dusk, Monmouth residents can ei-

ther get comfortable in their backyard, orhead down to Independence RiverviewPark to enjoy the fireworks show.

Classic cars will be on display on EcolsStreet on Monday.


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Freedomfest aims to please

Freedomfest 2016 won’t have a bar-becue contest, but it will haveplenty of good food — and music,

too. Event host Dallas Area Visitors Center is

scaling back Freedomfest and holding it inone location, Roger Jordan CommunityPark. The sanctioned barbecue contest won’t

be taking place in Dallas City Park in themorning and afternoon of July Fourth. In-stead, the celebration will kick off at 5 p.m.when local favorite food trucks Black RockBBQ, JT’s Food Truck and El Pique will setup to serve dinner in the park off LaCreoleDrive near the Dallas Aquatic Center. Another Dallas fan favorite, local band

Johnny Wheels and the Swamp Donkeys,will begin playing at 5:30 p.m. The bandperformed last year at Freedomfest and

has played after Saturday’s parade at Sum-merfest the last two years. Between the food trucks and entertain-

ment, Dallas residents can make anevening of waiting for the highly antici-pated fireworks show.Chelsea Metcalfe, executive director of

the visitors’ center, said she took an infor-

mal poll of children at a recent event indowntown Dallas and found that the re-vived fireworks show rivals the Summer-fest parade in popularity. It seems adultsfeel the same way. “Weekly, people will catch me in the

store and say ‘We love the fireworksshow,’” Metcalfe said. If you want to find your spot for the

show early, Swamp Donkeys will provideentertainment until 8:30 p.m., leading upto the fireworks. This year, the pyrotechnics display, to

be conducted by the Dallas Fire Depart-ment, will come with an extra bang. Met-calfe ordered a larger show than last year’s,so if you were impressed with the 2015display, this year will be must-see. “I’m excited to see it this year,” Metcalfe

said.

Dallas’ Fourth of July celebration looks to improve experience

Johnny Wheels and the Swamp Donkeys will perform until 8:30 p.m. on Monday evening.

A fireworks show will bring Freedom-fest to a close on Monday.


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Patty Youngren hasbeen a part of an an-nual tradition for

more than three decades —the Monmouth-IndependenceFourth of July tennis tourna-ment. “I moved here in 1985. I

played against Mary Chris-tensen in my first competi-tion,” Youngren said. “She andPhil Schroeder, who ran thetournament at the time,crushed my partner and I.Mary has become a lifelongfriend.” Now entering its 43rd year,

Youngren, who will help runthe tournament with Paul Hirtand Ron Warkentin, are hop-ing others experience whatYoungren discovered abouttennis — that playing thesport can lead to far more thanjust getting into better shape.This year’s tournament will

take place Saturday and Sun-day at Central High Schooland Western Oregon Univer-sity. Brackets are available forsingles, doubles and mixeddoubles play. There are alsodifferent categories based onskill level, so no matter if youfancy yourself the next NovakDjokovic or are just picking upa racket for the first time, thetournament offers a chance tohit the court. “It would be great to have

new players out,” Youngrensaid. “Tennis is leveled intodifferent flights, so a newplayer isn’t trying to strike ahundred mile an hour serve.” Organizers hope for a re-

verse in a recent trend, whichhas seen fewer players turnout. “Tennis has seen a drop in

competitive play in the lastseveral years,” Youngren said.“People shift in how theyspend their time. I’m hopingthe high school kids get outand practice tournament play.It’s fun to see them competing

and mixing together offsea-son. One couple who hasplayed together from Corvallisfor several years calls the tour-nament their little secret.Hopefully, we’ll have enoughturn out to make it enjoyable.” Sign-ups for the tourna-

ment are due by noon onWednesday (today). “We have learned that we

should be flexible with thedraws, the weather, etc.,”Youngren said. “We havelearned that people like toplay in two events, but don’tlike to play in three or morerounds. We hope to limit playto two matches in any givenday, unless opponents agree toa different set up.”All participants must bring

a can of balls. Cost is $15 forsingles and $25 for doubles. Allproceeds from the tourna-

ment will go to the promotionof community tennis and Cen-tral High’s boys and girls tennisteams.For many of the partici-

pants, the mix of supportingthe community and getting achance to take part in ashared love of tennis hashelped make the Monmouth-Independence Fourth of Julytennis tournament one tradi-tion worth coming back to.

“Tennis is a wholesomeway to get to know yourneighbors,” Youngren said.“Tennis is something thewhole family can do. It’s a funexperience because of thecommunity of tennis players.Many players have played inthis tournament for a numberof years. It’s great to get to-gether. It’s also a great timefor newcomers because it islow-keyed.”

Tennis tourney set for 43rd yearTournament attracts new, experienced players alike

The Monmouth-Independence Fourth of July Tennis Tournament has brackets for all agesand skill levels so all tennis players can have an enjoyable experience.

Tennis Time What: Monmouth-Independence Fourth of July Tennis Tourna-

ment. When: Saturday and Sunday.Where: Matches will take place at Western Oregon University

and Central High School. Cost: $15 singles, $25 doubles. How to register: Registration is available through noon on

Wednesday (today) at www.oregontennis.com.


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Looking for somethingunique to do thisFourth of July?

How does taking a runthrough Monmouth and Inde-pendence — in front of thou-sands of cheering fans —sound? That’s the experience you’ll

get at the 44th annual Mon-mouth-Independence Mini-Marathon. The 2.6-mile run follows the

Grand Parade route and leadsrunners on a mostly downhillcourse from Monmouth CityHall to downtown Independ-ence. “It’s a fun, special event to

run the route just before thebig parade,” race coordinatorTerry Cable said. The distance is short

enough that new and experi-enced runners alike can tackleeasily, but long enough to giveparticipants a sense of accom-plishment and enough time tosoak in the adoration fromthose watching. “As fitness has been more

ingrained in our society, a little2.6-mile race like this isn’t in-timidating to anyone. Families

run together, and we definitelyhave people who make it aFourth of July tradition,” Cablesaid.The run is scheduled for

11:30 a.m. on Monday. Cost is

$15 for adults and $5 for chil-dren ages 9 and younger, if youregister online before Thurs-day at www.eclecticedgerac-ing.com.But if you’re a last-minute

entry, registration is availablethe day of the event beginningat 8 a.m. for $20 for adults and$10 for children. Cable expectsto see a large turnout fromboth runners and fans. Hearing thousands of peo-

ple cheer you on is quite theenjoyable experience. “The cheering crowds along

the way and the weather isusually just perfect,” Cablesaid.

On your mark...What: 44th annual Mon-

mouth-Independence Mini-Marathon, a 2.6-mile, mostlydownhill race that begins infront of Monmouth’s City Halland ends at the Old City Hallbuilding in Independence. When: July 4, 11:30 a.m.Cost: $15 for adults and

$5 for children 10 andyounger in advance; $20 and$10 on day of race until10:30 a.m. For more information:

Terry Cable, 503-930-2360;www.eclecticedgeracing.com.

The Monmouth-Independence Mini-Marathon features a 2.6-mile run along the Fourth of July parade route.

Mini run, big time fun

The mini-marathon features a mix of dedicated runners andthose looking for a unique experience.


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It’s a slice of Americanathat attracts thousands ofspectators.

If you want to experience anIndependence Day parade un-like any other, choose your spotcarefully, bring some chairs andget ready for the Monmouth-In-dependence Rotary Club’sFourth of July Grand Parade.The parade begins its route at

noon on Monday. It begins atWestern Oregon University inMonmouth and stretches ap-proximately three miles beforefinishing at Riverview Park in In-dependence.

“Everyone loves a parade,” di-rector Chuck Thurman said.“People get the chance to getout and support our countryand those who serve our coun-try. I think the county has a lot ofpatriotism.” This year, the grand marshal

will be Western Oregon men’sbasketball coach Jim Shaw andplayers from the team. Choosing a grand marshal is

a big decision and one thatThurman said the Rotary Clubtakes seriously. “We go and talk in the com-

munity and see what is on

people’s minds,” he said.While there are always a

number of worthy candidates,this year’s choice was an obvi-ous one. “It was an easy decision,”

Thurman said. “They were thetalk of the town.” Still want to get in on the ac-

tion? Parade entries are ac-cepted right up until the lastfloat leaves, Thurman said. Costis $25 to enter. Awards in a number of cate-

gories from most patriotic tobest antique and modern vehi-cles will be handed out.

If participating isn’t your cupof tea, the Luckiamute Water-shed Council is looking for vol-unteers to walk with their float,holding up signs and helpingcollect trash along the route. For more information: Krista

Larson, 503-837-0237 or SawyerFinegan, 503-623-9680. An on-line volunteer form is availableat http://www.luckiamutelwc-. o r g / g r a n d - p a r a d e -volunteer.html.The parade’s festivities actu-

ally begins at 11:35 a.m. with thechildren’s parade —which trav-els through a shortened route inMonmouth. There is no judging in the

children’s parade. The eventgives the community one of thefew children’s parades in thestate, Thurman said. “They aren’t very common,”

Thurman said. “These kids arethe future of our community. Weneed to teach them to celebratelife itself, let alone country andpatriotism, and we’re all kids atheart.” Whether you’re out to experi-

ence the parade for the first timeor have enjoyed it for years, thisFourth of July tradition is oneyou’ll never forget. “It’s just a great hometown

parade,” Thurman said. “Wehope people come out, enjoy itand celebrate with us.”

Patriotic ParadeWhat: Monmouth-Independence Rotary Club Fourth of July

Grand Parade.When:Monday, July 4. The parade begins at noon. Registration

starts at 9 a.m. at the staging area on Monmouth Avenue on West-ern Oregon University’s campus. Entries are first-come, first-served.Where: Monmouth and Independence. The parade route fol-

lows Monmouth’s Main Street, runs eastward through the S-curves and onto Independence’s Monmouth Street. The paradeconcludes at Riverview Park and Amphitheater in Independence.Cost to enter: $25 per entry.Applications: Forms are available online at mirotaryclub.org,

at the city halls in Monmouth and Independence, and at the Mon-mouth and Independence public libraries. For more information: Chuck Thurman, 503-838-3526; email,

[email protected].

Parade a patriotic tradition

The Fourth of July Parade features a variety of categories from horses to farm low riders.

The Monmouth-Independence Rotary Club Fourth of JulyGrand Parade route stretches more than three miles.


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The Polk County FireDistrict No. 1 has theperfect pairing to start

a busy Fourth of July — pan-cakes, ham, eggs and coffee orjuice. It’s the annual firefighters’

breakfast, from 6 to 10 a.m. onMonday.Firefighters and volunteers

are up at the crack of dawn —before, really — to fire up thegriddles to make hundreds ofpancakes. Some have morethan 20 years of experienceflipping pancakes at this eventand have mastered the art of aperfectly golden-brown flap-jack.The breakfast draws be-

tween 800 to 1,200 people eachyear, but Matt Connery, presi-dent of the volunteer firefight-ers association, is hoping formore.“We hope that everybody

comes,” Connery said. “Wehave more than enough food,and fundraisers and rafflesthat are going to be available,as well.”One of the raffles will be for

a fire truck ride to school.“For the first or second week

of the new school year, if yourticket is chosen, the fire de-partment will come pick upyou and one of your friends inone of the new engines andtake you to school,” Connerysaid. The chauffeured ride will in-

clude lights flashing, creating amemorable way to kick off the

2016-17 school year for a luckyyouth.After getting your fill of pan-

cakes, take a tour of the newequipment — three new fireengines and a custom pumper— thanks to a bond passed bythe community in May 2014.Connery said firefighters are

focusing on outreach, espe-cially to children. “If we have all our gear on,

we look very frightening,” he

said. “We’re just normal peopleunder big clothes.”Breakfast is $5 for adults and

youths aged 15 and older; $3for those aged 6 to 14; and freefor anyone 5 and younger.The event is the biggest

fundraiser the associationdoes each year, Connery said.Proceeds go toward Christmasbaskets, helping the BoyScouts and other communityprograms.

PancakesWhat: Polk County Fire

District No. 1 pancakebreakfast. Where: Polk County Fire

Station. When: Monday, July 4, 6

to 10 a.m.Cost: $5 adults; $3 for

children ages 6 to 14; chil-dren 5 and younger arefree.

Serving up a good time

The Polk County Fire District No. 1’s pancake breakfast is the biggest fundraiser the associ-ation does. Proceeds go toward Christmas baskets, the Boy Scouts and other programs.

Concert band to perform on SundayThe Willamette Valley Concert Band will perform Sunday at 6:30

p.m. at the Monmouth Main Street Amphitheater. The concert is free and open to the public.The concert’s theme is “Patriotic Pops” and will feature perform-

ances of music from Broadway musicals, movie soundtracks andseveral patriotic tunes.

Highlights include selections from Beauty and the Beast, IrvingBerlin’s Showstoppers, Fantasy on Yankee Doodle and His HonorMarch.

Attendees should bring their own chair or blanket to sit on.The 50-member group has been performing since 1970. dr.

Richard Sorenson will direct.

For more information: Richard Sorenson, 503-838-3474.

Rick’s Place to hold open houseRick’s Place, 123 Main St., Monmouth, will hold an open house

Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. Author and artist Rafael Gruszecki will be there to show his art

project. Gruszecki uses a restored 1952 Divco “chalk truck” a palettefor people to write or draw their inspirations. He supplies the chalkto encourage participation and records people and their art work.

Dallas photographer Ron Mittag will show his new exhibit featur-ing coastal images and his “car art” series in honor of the ChalkTruck.

For more information: Rafael Gruszecki, 360-947-5741 or Ron Mit-tag, 602-448-3636.


Monmouth 2016Music In The Park SeriesMain Street Park Amphitheater

Wednesdays 6:30-8:30 pmMusic, Food, Beer & Wine Garden

SPONSORS: Burgerville, Brandt’s Sanitary, Carpet Hero, Christ’s Church, City of Monmouth, Co-lumbia Bank, Crush, Edward Jones – Ben Meyer, iHomes, Itemizer-Observer, JB Firewood,KMUZ 88.5 FM, Main Street Ice Cream Parlor,Main Street Pub & Eatery, MAPS CREDIT UNION,Marr Bros Bark, MINET, Monmouth Fitness Club,Monmouth Power & Light, Mungo Signs, OREGON STATE Credit Union, Partnerships inCommunity Living, Petals & Vines, PT Northwest,RJ Mobility Service, Sing Fay Restaurant, SmithFine Arts Series, Veal Bikes Plus, Vibrant Pet Styling, Walt’s Print & Copy, Winder-mere, WOU Alumni Association,Yeasty Beasty.

JULY CONCERTSJuly 6: Ben Rice Blues Band – BluesJuly 13: Brothers and Sister – Allman Brothers TributeJuly 20: Transcendental Brass Band—New Orleans JazzJuly 27: Charlie Horse — Rock

AUGUST CONCERTSAugust 3: Kathy Boyd & Phoenix Rising — BluegrassAugust 10: Boka Marimba — African-Style MarimbaAugust 17: World’s Finest — Americana DubgrassAugust 24: Jacob Miller & The Bridge City Crooners—SwingAugust 31: Coming Up Threes — Celtic


The Monmouth Com-munity Art Show is inits third year, and is

bigger and better than ever.The show, started by Nancy

Lehto, has had close to thesame number of entries in itsfirst two years, but communityparticipation in judging has in-creased.To accommodate more art,

the show has been movedfrom a tent at Main Street Parkinto the old fire house, acrossWarren Street from the park,Lehto said.In the past, artwork was ac-

cepted prior to the event. Thisyear, it will be put up on Sat-urday, the first day of the fes-tival.“In the fire hall, we can set

up the display racks ahead oftime, so we will be acceptingartwork on the morning of thefestival, tagging it and hangingit as it comes in,” she said. “Ifall goes as planned, the showwill be open shortly afternoon.”The show includes two- and

three-dimensional pieces fromlocal artists of all ages and abil-ities. The community votes for

its favorite based on age for thepeople’s choice award. Thewinners are put on display atboth the Monmouth and Inde-pendence libraries.“People really seem to like

it,” Lehto said. “We get lots ofpositive comments, and somepeople even write notes ontheir ballots.”Lehto started the show be-

cause of fond childhood mem-ories of the Salem Art Fair,which has grown from a smallcommunity art show to an ex-tensive event. Monmouth’sshow is off to a good start.

“We don’t count howmany people come and lookat the show, but we can esti-mate numbers by how manypeople fill out ballots,”Lehto said. The first year,about 400 ballots were cast.Last year, that number grewto 550.Lehto said she expects more

entries this year, too, becauseof more involvement fromartists at the Ash Creek ArtsCenter.Winners will be announced

on the afternoon of the Fourthof July.

Getting artistic

Looking to rock out?How about hearingsome classic movie

tunes? No matter what your tastes

are in music, Polk County’sFourth of July celebrationshave you covered. Independence’s Western

Days has an eclectic mix. Petty Fever takes the stage

at the Amphitheater atRiverview Park Saturday at8:30 p.m. and again at 10:45p.m. after the fireworks. “I like to use headline

bands that are new to thearea, have a great stage pres-ence and that portray artiststhat people are familiar withand, most importantly, havegreat song hits that resonateover generations,” AlexTrevino said. On Sunday, Aaron Crawford

brings his blend of countryand rock to the amphitheaterat 6 p.m. He’ll be followed byRomance, a group of Latinmusicians, at 8 p.m. On Monday, Infamous Soul

hits the stage at 8 p.m. andagain 10:45 p.m. after the bigfireworks display. “I am looking forward to

this show just for the fact thatthey bring a wide range ofmusic of heart and soul,”Trevino said. “It seems fittingfor a day to relax, dance andbe part of such a great holidaywith family and friends.”Monmouth’s Hometown

Stars and Stripes celebrationoffers a tantalizing mix of

local artists.The Monmouth Taiko

drummers kicks things off atnoon on Saturday. The Shinkle Band, a coun-

try act, takes the stage at 1p.m., followed by the NewHorizons Willamette ValleyOrchestra at 4:15 p.m. Sundaysees everything from Chris-

tian (Phil Ward and the WayWalkers) to Celtic (Castle-town), rock (Charlie Horse),big band (Albany Swing Band)and classical (Willamette Val-ley Concert Band). In Dallas, Johnny Wheels

and the Swamp Donkeys willentertain the pre-fireworksshow crowd at Dallas’ Free-domfest starting at 5:30 p.m.The show will be in Roger Jor-dan Community Park offLaCreole Drive near the DallasAquatic Center. From Polk County, the band

has made appearances atFreedomfest and Summerfestin recent years. Chelsea Metcalfe, executive

director of Freedomfest hostDallas Area Visitors Center,said the blues rock band isgrowing in popularity locally.“I’ve had so many people

tell me they want to hearmore of them” she said. The band will play until

about 8:30 p.m. — an hour be-fore the fireworks show. Throughout Polk County’s

Fourth of July festivities, actsappealing to all musical tasteswill be on display, making thisa must-hear for music lovers.

Don’t stop the musicMusic for the Ears

SATURDAY, JULY 2Petty Fever — Tom Petty Tribute, IndependenceMonmouth Taiko Drummers — MonmouthShinkle Band — country, Monmouth New Horizons Willamette Valley Orchestra — classical, Mon-mouth

SUNDAY, JULY 3Aaron Crawford — country rock, Independence. Romance — traditional Latino, Independence. Phil Ward and the Way Walkers — Christian, MonmouthCastletown — Celtic, MonmouthAlbany Swing Band — Big band, MonmouthWillamette Valley Concert Band — patriotic concert, Mon-mouth

MONDAY, JULY 4Johnny Wheels and the Swamp donkeys — blues, DallasCharlie Horse — rock, MonmouthInfamous Souls — classic rock, IndependenceFor a full schedule of all events, see Page 4C.


Visit our web

site for conc

ert times • C

onsessions &

Brewery/Win

e Vendors 6 P

M

independenceamphitheater.com • Riverview Park Downtown Independence

• July 1 - Jurassic World PG-13• July 3 - McFarland PG

• July 7 - Hotel Transylvania 2 PG• July 14 - Jumanji PG • July 21 - Inside Out PG

• July 28 - Avengers Age of Ultron PG-13 • Aug. 4 - Star Wars The Force Awakens PG-13• Aug.11 - The Breakfast Club R • Aug. 18 - Zootopia PG • Aug 25 - Batman vs Superman PG-13

Presented by

$5 Suggested DonationLawn Seating — Bring blankets

and chairs

Concessions o

pen at 8pm

Restrooms on

site

Thursdays J

uly 9:45 app

rox. August 8

:30 approx.

Lawn seating: B

ring your blanke

ts!

All movies a

re free!

2016 Blockbu

ster MOVIES!

MONMOUTH


Kings Valley ice cream fundraiserKings Valley PTO will hold an ice cream fundraiser Friday

though Monday during Western Days in Independence. Volun-teers will operate an Umpqua Ice Cream trailer from 5 to 9 p.m. onFriday, 1:30 to midnight on Saturday, 1:30 to 10 p.m. on Sundayand 11:30 a.m. to midnight on Monday.

Volunteers are needed to work in shifts. For more information: Cindy Simmons, [email protected]

with days and times you are available.

Parade volunteers needed Luckiamute Watershed Council and Polk Soil and Water Conser-

vation District are looking for volunteers for the 2016 Monmouth-

Independence Rotary Club Grand Parade on Monday. Volunteers are needed for the rear detachment which consists of

riding or walking alongside Claudia, a 14-foot tall Chinook salmon,to spread the word about keeping streams and streets clean. Volun-teers may hold signs or carry trash bags and encourage the publicto deposit bottles, cans, candy wrappers and any other trash and re-cyclables they have.

The parade route is approximately 3.3 miles long, beginning atWestern Oregon University in Monmouth and ending at RiverviewPark in Independence. Volunteers may sign up for the entire lengthor a section of it.

For more information: Krista Larson, 503-837-0237 or SawyerFinegan, 503-623-9680. An online volunteer form is available athttp://www.luckiamutelwc.org/grand-parade-volunteer.html.

The fireworks shows inIndependence onSaturday and July 4

have an experienced veteranin charge. Keith Aldrich, the pyrotech-

nic expert for Western Days,has been at it for so long thathis certification number withthe state is “3.” He’s coordinated the Inde-

pendence shows for 30 years,and they have become some-thing of a family affair. Hiswife and sons are all licensedpyrotechnics, as well. “That’s how we spend our

Fourth,” he said. Setup, running the show

and cleanup of the displaysstarts early in the morningand lasts into the weehours, but putting on agood show makes it worth itto Aldrich. “My favorite part is listen-

ing to the audience after thefinale goes, all their whoopingand cheering,” he said. On Saturday, Independ-

ence will hold its “HometownCelebration” event that iscapped with the hometownappreciation fireworks dis-play, a slightly shorter showthat allows viewers to avoidthe crowds on the Fourth. But if you love fireworks,

the Fourth of July show is the

one for you. The display islonger, about 30 minutes, andcomes with all the patrioticpride of the holiday. Want advice on where to sit

from an expert, no matterwhich night you choose? Aldrich said any vantage

point without obstruction isfine for the show, but espe-cially good spots are atRiverview Park. That comeswith the bonus of being ableto enjoy the carnival andfood at the festival. “It makes for a good envi-

ronment,” he said. Dallas may be the new kid

in the game when it comes tofireworks, but that doesn’tmean it can’t put on a show. In 2014, what was once a

Dallas tradition — though justhow many years ago is un-clear — was revived whenFreedomfest held its displayfor the first time.It was a hit and organizers

brought it back for a second

year, but event coordinatorChelsea Metcalfe didn’t get tosee it. Metcalfe is the execu-tive director of the Dallas AreaVisitors Center and she de-

cided to take a break betweenFreedomfest day and eveningevents. She slept through the entire

display and woke up in timeto see people posting com-ments about it on socialmedia. Metcalfe will not miss it this

year and is encouraging view-ers to bring glow sticks, neck-laces, or bracelets to the showon July Fourth. “Let’s glow in that park,”

she said.

Celebrating with a bangLocal fireworks displays offer awe-inspiring sights

Red, White and Boom!What: Fireworks in Independence and Dallas.When: Independence: Saturday at 10 p.m. and July Fourth

at 10 p.m. Dallas: July Fourth at 9:30 p.m. Where: Independence: Riverview Park; Dallas: Roger Jor-

dan Community Park. How much: Independence: $1 park admission for patrons

ages 6 and older. Dallas: Donations accepted.

The fireworks displays at Riverview Park in Independ-ence attracts thousands each year.


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