July 03, 1997|By Joni Guhne | Joni Guhne,SPECIAL TO THE SUN
THE SINGLE event that most typifies the spirit of greater Severna Park, and a key reason we think of it as "the greatest little community in the U.S.A.," is the Fourth of July parade sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce.
Scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. tomorrow at St. Martin's in the Field and Our Shepherd churches, across Benfield Road from each other, this year's Star-Spangled Spectacular will move down Benfield to Evergreen and Riggs roads, then to Baltimore-Annapolis Boulevard, ending at a family festival of food and games in the Park Plaza shopping center.
Parade grand marshal Marty Rice, a 100-year-old World War I veteran, will lead the parade, but the ones having the most fun will be the families and children parading their wagons, tricycles and bicycles, all decorated in red, white and blue.
Bike riders will vie for most original, most patriotic and most beautiful. They can register from 9: 15 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Winkelmyer Building on Baltimore-Annapolis Boulevard across from the entrance to Park Plaza. For more details, call 410-647-3900.
Winners in all parade categories -- bikes, bands, floats, communities, etc. -- will be announced at the festival.
When they arrive in Park Plaza, parade participants will receive frosty orange Popsicles, a treat that has become a tradition, from the Severn River Lions Club.
"We started out years ago serving cups of fresh orange juice to everyone," says Jack Latham, a longtime member of the club. "But when you hand out over a thousand cups of juice, it gets pretty messy. It's much easier to serve Popsicles to parade marchers and anyone else, as long as the Popsicles last."
When you're ready for lunch, lunch will be ready for you.
As usual, you can buy hot dogs and soft drinks from the Severna Park Kiwanis Club. Don Lyons is chairman of the mustard and ketchup brigade.
The Severna Park Jaycees' menu features pit beef sandwiches and funnel cakes. Yum!
After the parade and festival, take the family back to the corner of Baltimore-Annapolis Boulevard for a tour of the Community Center at Woods and a free dip in the center's swimming pool from 1: 30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The open swim is courtesy of the center and the Severna Park Swimming Association. For information, call 410-647-5843.
If you can't get to the parade, watch it on Jones Communications TV 22 at 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and July 12, 13, 19, 20, 26 and 27.
Fire company carnival
Summer excitement continues at the Earleigh Heights Volunteer Fire Company's annual carnival Monday through Saturday at the firehouse on Ritchie Highway.
The carnival is open from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 6 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.
"The best deal is that you can ride all night for $11 Monday through Thursday," said Bob Ganz, president of the volunteer company.
"We're raffling a 1996 Yamaha Wave Runner III on Saturday night," he said.
The prize includes a trailer, cover, two life vests and boat warranty.
"The winning name will be drawn at 11 p.m. Saturday, but you don't have to be there to win," Ganz said.
Raffle tickets are $1 each or six for $5. For more information, call 410-647-3119.
Pub Date: 7/03/97
