Story posted Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Oooohs, Aaaahs Highlight July 4th
Village Parade Is Saturday Morning, Followed By Fireworks Show Saturday Night
Glenview is gearing up for its Independence Day celebrations that include the village's 44th annual parade, twilight concert and fireworks display all scheduled for Saturday, July 4.
Kids will lead the way with a bicycle parade that precedes the larger main parade. Bikes will roll out Saturday at 10:30 a.m. along the parade route starting at Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLPH), proceeding west on Glenview Road to Harlem Avenue then turning south on Harlem to Central Road and moving west on Central to finish at John's Park.
At 11 a.m. the main parade of about 100 units moves out from OLPH to John's Park.
Groups marching this year include local favorites like the Glenbrook South Marching Band, and Ragtime Ramblers, honor guards from the police and fire departments as well as American Legion Post 166 and Cub, Boy, Girl and Brownie scout troops.
Other groups marching in this year's parade include well-known groups like the Jesse White Tumblers, the Shriners driving their mini flying carpets, the South Shore Drill Team and the Oscar Meyer Weiner-mobile.
Groups like the Polonia Ensemble and the Bolivia Dance Troop will add an ethnic flare to the parade.
This year's theme is "A Family Affair" and its six grand marshals reflect that theme, all representing long established families or businesses in Glenview.
Grand marshals this year are the Rugen family, residing in Glenview since 1919, the Metzer family, residing in Glenview for over 50 years, Glenview New Church, established in Glenview in 1894, Hackney's, operating in Glenview since 1939, Jennings Chevrolet, in Glenview for 51 years, and Carlson Heating, in Glenview since 1955.
Following the parade Saturday night there will be a concert and fireworks display at Glenview Park Golf Club featuring the 100 piece North Shore Concert Band at 7:30 p.m. and fireworks at 9 p.m.
The park district spends about $65,000 producing Independence Day events. Some of those costs are spent on acts that march in the parade and about $22,000 is spent on the evening's fireworks display.
Costs are covered by about $50,000 in donations, an additional $3,000 in parade entrance fees and about $8,000 in other park district fee based funds (non-tax revenues).
Park district officials said donations have been down slightly this year from year's past.
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