BIG BAY
The annual Bay Cliff Health Camp Fourth of July parade will take place at 3:15 p.m. today with 140 campers and 130 staff members dressed up in costumes depicting this years theme "Bay Cliff Celebrates Great American Destinations." The parade will travel along the main streets of Big Bay.
GRAND MARAIS
The Grand Marais 2012 Fourth of July Celebration is set for today.
The theme this year is "The Dream is Solid as a Rock."
The parade lineup begins at noon at the community center, with the parade beginning at 1 p.m.
The Bayshore Park playground dedication is set for 2 p.m., with the firemen's challenge and kids' games to start at 2:30 p.m.
A street dance is set for 7 p.m. at the Bayshore Pavilion with music by DJ Ed Nyman.
Fireworks over the bay are planned at dusk.
Activities are sponsored by the Grand Marais Chamber of Commerce.
ISHPEMING
"Celebrating Our Mining Heritage" is the theme of this year's celebration in Ishpeming.
July 4 opens with the Firecracker 5K Race and 1 Mile Walk at 8 a.m. at the Al Quaal Recreation Area, giving area residents a chance to get in some friendly athletic competition before a day full of picnics and barbecues.
At 9:30 a.m., there will be a flag raising ceremony and 21-gun salute at the memorial park near the Ishpeming Post Office.
The annual kids' parade begins at 10 a.m. in the Mather Inn parking lot, followed by the full Ishpeming Fourth of July Parade. The parade begins at Empire and Third streets, running south to Hematite Drive, where it runs to Main Street, turning south and then east onto Division Street up to the Ishpeming High School. Area retired and current miners and those connected to the mining industry are invited to join in with the parade and other events.
The committee is expecting to have more than 100 units in this year's parade, including five marching bands, horses and all types of floats.
Today also holds a new event for the Fourth of July community picnic, which begins at noon at the Al Quaal Recreation Area - the Culpepper and Merriweather Circus.
The public is invited to see the raising of the big top tent from 9:30-10 a.m., followed by a free tour of the circus grounds, which gives interesting facts about the performers, the history of the circus and how the circus animals are cared for.
Once the tent is set up, the box office and midway open at 1 p.m., with performances at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., each a 90-minute show. Performances include trapeze artists, unicyclists, animals, juggling and other circus acts.
Tickets for circus performances are available in advance at the Greater Ishpeming-Negaunee Area Chamber of Commerce, Elaine's Party Store, Jackson Hardware, Congress Pizza, all in Ishpeming, and Household Appliance in Marquette. Advance tickets are $6 for children age 2-12 and $9 for adults. The day of the circus, tickets are $7 for children and $12 for adults.
The picnic itself also has musical performances by the Slamtones and Shotgun Kelli at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
As a special treat, the Minnesota Air National Guard's 148th Fighter Wing will provide a two-ship F-16 Fighting Falcon flyover at the picnic during the evening, Wednesday, between 7 and 8 p.m.
July 4's celebration wraps up with the annual fireworks display over Al Quaal.
Besides the parade and other events, the week also contains the Westwood and Ishpeming alumni softball tournaments, both of which began Sunday and wrap up today.
The Ishpeming Fourth of July Golf Outing, which serves as a fundraiser for the fireworks display, is set for 10 a.m. Friday at the Wawanowin Country Club.
MARQUETTE
As usual, a big lineup of events are on tap for Marquette's Independence Day celebrations.
The Marquette Exchange Club supports about two dozen local organizations with funds raised at its International Food Fest, which serves as the club's major fundraiser each year. This year's food fest is set for July 3-5 at Mattson Lower Harbor Park in Marquette.
Here's a roundup of what's going on today and Thursday:
Today:
8 a.m. American Legion volunteer breakfast
8:30 a.m. The UPAWS Marquette Sunrise Dog Dash will begin at , rain or shine. Entry forms are available at www.upaws.org or at the Upper Peninsula Animal Welfare Shelter.
The run (or walk, if preferred) will start at Picnic Rocks Park in Marquette with distances of either 2.5 miles or 1 mile.
10 a.m. American Legion Baseball game at legion Field
10. a.m. Decorated Bike Rodeo at Lakeview Arena
11 a.m. Veterans' Memorial Rededcation at Harlow ParK
12-1 p.m. Team Awesome plays at the Food Fest.
1-2 p.m. Dave Berry plays at the Food Fest.
2-4 p.m. 4th of July Parade.
4-5:30 p.m. Hart, Harp & Bones plays at the Food Fest.
4:30 p.m. Firemen's competition at the Lower Harbor
6-7 p.m. Marquette City Band will hold a concert, "The Spirit of America," in Mattson Lower Harbor Park.
7:30-10 p.m. None of a Kind plays at the Food Fest.
Dusk. Fireworks over the Lower Harbor
9:30 p.m. Boat Parade in the Lower Harbor
The Regulars and Trout Revenge play a special 4th of July show at Upfront & Company. The show starts after the fireworks.
Thursday:
2-3:30 p.m. Eclettico plays at the Food Fest.
4-5:30 p.m. Blue Champagne plays at the Food Fest.
6-7:30 p.m. WFXD 103.3 Country Showdown plays at the Food Fest.
8-10 p.m. Derrell Syria Project plays at the Food Fest.
Dusk - Rain date for the fireworks.
MICHIGAMME
Two days of fun are planned in Michigamme for the Fourth of July Holiday. Some events were held Tuesday.
Today, there will be a parade down Main Street starting at 11 a.m. with the theme "Foundation of Freedom - America's Volunteers - Thanking and Promoting Volunteerism in the Community."
After the parade, it will be a day of fun, food, and games at the park.
MUNISING
Munising wraps up three days of Independence Day celebrations today.
A fun run is planned at 8:30 this morning in Bayshore Park. The entry fee is $10 and registration begins at 7:30 a.m.
At 10 a.m., a flag raising ceremony will take place at the All Veterans Memorial.
The Fourth of July parade with the theme "Celebrate All of Alger County's Beauty" starts at 12:30 p.m. followed by "The Guess Is Right" at Bayshore Park at 2 p.m. Free ice cream will be available at the park at 2:30 p.m., with a watermelon eating contest to begin there at 2:45 p.m.
A pet parade is planned at 3:30 p.m. Participants should meet at the Munising Post Office by 3 p.m.
The Munising Volunteer Fire Department is having a waterfight starting at 4;30 p.m. on Elm Street, with a grease pole competition at 5:30 p.m. at the city pier in Bayshore Park.
Another round of "The Guess Is Right" starts at 5:30 p.m. in the park, followed by free quarters at 7 p.m. and an egg throwing contest at 8 p.m.
At about 10:30 p.m., a fireworks display will commence at Bayshore Park.
All day in the park, there will be music, games, concessions, rotisserie chicken, fish and chips, hot dogs and sloppy joes. Note that no kegs, fireworks, sparklers or pets are permitted at the park.
As a fundraiser for the Alger County Chamber, a fireworks cruise begins at 10:15 p.m. Call 387-2138 for details on that event.