It¹s a rare occasion when you can taste the largest apple pie in
the United States, shake Uncle Sam¹s hand and have a firefighter
serve you breakfast ‹ all in the same holiday weekend.
And since July 4 falls on a Tuesday, get ready for four full
days of holiday extravaganzas beginning with events in Windsor and
the West County on Saturday and culminating with the grand
fireworks show in Healdsburg Tuesday night.
On Saturday, July 1, the Windsor Town Green will host the
kick-off to the 2nd annual Old Time Celebration. Beginning at 10
a.m. the Car Show in Old Downtown Windsor will be accompanied with
a live jazz concert by Forte at 11 a.m. followed by Mitch Woods
& his Rocket 88s at 2 p.m. The Windsor firefighters will be
serving a BBQ tri-tip lunch. The day will also include an arts and
crafts show, funnel cakes, WHS Boosters Club hot dogs and Hawaiian
ice to cool you down.
According to Chris Messina, Windsor¹s Business Improvement
District promotions director, this will be the first large car show
in town and will include pre-1972 classics, vintage race cars, a
1947 Ford Firetruck and Hot Rod Willys.
In the West County, Monte Rio also has a full schedule of events
on Saturday, including the Big Rocky Games, the fire department¹s
annual BBQ, live music at the beach and the Water Parade followed
by fireworks in the evening.
The Big Rocky Games, held every year on both Saturday and
Sunday, are a series of contests for children of all ages, complete
with canoe, kayak and swimming races, according to Dawn Bell,
executive director of the Russian River Chamber of Commerce.
In Guerneville, there will be a BBQ, sponsored by the Chamber
and hosted by Liquid Sky, from 1 to 7 p.m. in the Lark¹s parking
lot with plenty of cold beer to go around.
But don¹t let Saturday¹s events wear you down. There are three
more days full of Independence Day celebrations to follow.
On Sunday, the Bodega Bay firefighters will kick off festivities
with their annual pancake breakfast at the Bodega Bay Grange Hall
at Highway 1 and Bodega Avenune from 7:30 to 11 a.m. Breakfast is
$6 for adults and $4 for children. All proceeds benefit the Bodega
Bay Firefighters Association.
That night, fireworks will fill the sky over Bodega Bay at
Westside Park (on Westshore Road) beginning about 9:30 p.m.
Street Fair 2006! will begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday in
Guerneville. First Street will be closed from the Sheriff¹s
substation to Main Street for food vendors (including the
ever-popular barbecued oysters and turkey legs), local merchants,
arts, crafts, live music and kids¹ activities including a bounce
house and face painting.
The first-ever chili cookoff will take place at 1 p.m. on the
plaza in Guerneville. Bell is excited about the cookoff and hopes
it will become an annual event. There will be a $100 cash prize for
the winner. For $10 anyone can enter the cookoff for a chance to
win. Call the Russian River Chamber at 869-9000 for entry
forms.
In Windsor, Sunday will be just as fun-filled as Saturday with
the Windsor Farmers Market Quilt and Flower Show from 10 a.m. to 4
p.m. New and antique quilts will be displayed, your best blooms may
be entered into the Flower Show and live concerts will keep the
Town Green hopping with a 10 a.m. bluegrass show and Dixieland at 1
p.m.
As if all that wasn¹t enough, Monday is packed with events as
well.
In Windsor, the Old Time Celebration and Town Picnic will begin
at 4 p.m with live music by the Case of the Willys and The
Poyntlyss Sistars Band will play at 6 p.m. Zin Restaurant from
Healdsburg is debuting their Down Home BBQ with all the fixin¹s for
$10.
But, be sure to save room for the popular 6-foot apple pie. Only
500 pieces of pie will be sliced, so get your tickets early. Cold
Stone Creamery wukk top the slice with a large dollop of rich
vanilla ice cream.
And when the night falls, a fireworks show at Keiser Park will
fill the sky. The display can also be seen from the Town Green or
Windsor High School.
George Erdman, lead pyrotechnician for both the Windsor
fireworks show and the Healdsburg show on Tuesday, July 4, said
both shows are very popular and anyone who can carpool or walk to
view the fireworks should.
³It can get overwhelmed with lots of people,² Erdman said. ³I
suggest people take advantage of those SUVs and load up everyone
you can.²
The Sebastopol Kiwanis Club is also sponsoring a Fireworks
Extravaganza and Music Festival beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Monday,
July 3. The event will be held at the Analy High School football
field. Blue Moon, Black Bird Stitches and Stiff Dead Cat will play.
Fireworks will begin at dark.
And after three full days of events, spend your 4th of July in
Healdsburg at the annual fireworks show sponsored by the American
Legion.
This year, Healdsburg will have even more to offer. Since the
fourth falls on a Tuesday, the Farmers¹ Market and Free Tuesday
Concert series will get you revved up for the fireworks show at
Healdsburg High School.
Manzanita Moon, a sassy rockabilly band, will begin at 6 p.m.
and play until 8 p.m. But get there early to save a spot. According
to Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce Executive Director/CEO Lynn
Woznicki, folks have been setting up their chairs and blanket to
reserve prime locations as early as 5 or 6 in the morning.
Woznicki is looking forward to the day¹s events. ³What a fun day
in Healdsburg,² she said. ³This gives us an opportunity to play
hard all day with another offering for the 4th of July.²
Erdman said Healdsburg¹s fireworks show, which will begin
sometime around 9, should be as exciting as ever.
³I¹ve been looking over the inventory and putting together the
choreography. I¹m looking forward to shooting these shells,² he
said. ³As usual, it will be a great show with lots of effects.²
Portions of University Street and Monte Vista Avenue near the
high school will be closed and available for pedestrian traffic
only.
The Healdsburg Community Church is again sponsoring its annual
pie and ice cream social on the fourth at 8 p.m. You can bring your
own lawn chairs, or seating will be provided. There is plenty of
parking. The cost is $4 for adults and $2 for children, with
proceeds going to youth activities at the church, as well as camp
scholarships. For more information, call the church office at
433-8886.
