Ridgefield to hold annual July Fourth celebration

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RIDGEFIELD -- The city of Ridgefield will once again be preferred place of many to celebrate the Fourth of July, with a full day and evening of activities planned.

For more than 100 years, the small Clark County community has celebrated this nation’s independence in a big way, showing the patriotic spirit of America is alive and well in Ridgefield. The festival has grown considerably over the years to the point where an estimated 5,000 people come each year.

“My feeling on the Fourth of July in Ridgefield is it’s Americana at it’s best; that’s always how I describe it,’’ said Ridgefield Mayor Ron Onslow. “It’s young and old, little leaguers and farmers, tractors and tow trucks, classic cars. It’s got it all.’’

The Ridgefield Fourth of July celebration gets underway at 7 a.m. with the annual Pancake Breakfast, sponsored by the Firefighters Association, held at the Ridgefield Community Center, located at 210 N. Main Avenue. The breakfast lasts until 10 a.m.

A pair of Fun Runs will be held at 8 a.m., one 5K in length and the other 10K in distance. Starting point is at N. Main Avenue and Simons Street and the the out and back course is on rolling rural roads starting and finishing in downtown Ridgefield.

Cost to participate in the 5K is $20 or $30 with a tech shirt. Cost to participate in the 10K is $30, or $40 with the tech shirt. Cost on the day of the race is an additional $5. Proceeds will benefit the Ridgefield High School cross country team. To register, go to www.runridgefield.com and click on 4th of July link. Race day registration begins at 7 a.m. and a Kids Dash will be held at 7:30 a.m.

The parade portion of the day will begin with a Pet & Kid Pre-Parade at 10:15 a.m. along the parade route. Participants are asked to gather at the corner of Pioneer Street and Main Avenue. Admission is free and no registration is required.

The theme for the 2015 Ridgefield Fourth of July Parade is “American Landmarks,’’ and the parade is sponsored by Corwin Distributing. Staging will be held in Abrams Park and the parade will begin at 11 a.m. along Main & Division Street and continue to N. 8th Street & Pioneer.

Those in attendance will likely be ready for some sustenance after the parade is over and that’s when the Chicken & Salmon BBQ begins in Abrams Park. The lunch will be offered from noon-3 p.m. Parking will be available in the park after the parade.



Kids Day will also begin following the parade at about noon and continue to 6 p.m. in Ridgefield Refuge Overlook Park at Pioneer & Main Street. Sponsored by UNFI and Dollar Tree, this portion of the event will include face painting, a Creature Feature, children’s inflatables and other activities. Entertainment will be provided throughout the day by the Opus School of Music, Tony Starlight, Karaoke Kings and Hi-Fidelity Entertainment. Wristbands are $5 and cost includes all activities for the entire day.

A Pie Eating Contest will be held at the event stage in Overlook Park at 4 p.m. Participation is free to those under 18 years of age.

Food, drink and craft vendors will be on hand throughout the day (noon-6 p.m.) in and around Overlook Park.

Those wishing to cut a rug will have the opportunity to join in the Dancing in the Park event from 6-10 p.m, sponsored by Hi-Fidelity Entertainment, to be held in Overlook Park. All ages are invited and admission is free.

The night will be capped by the annual fireworks display, which will begin at about 10 p.m., sponsored by Comcast. Organized fireworks will be launched west of the railroad tracks near the boat launch marina.

Viewing of the fireworks will only be allowed east of the railroad tracks along Railroad Ave., in the marina parking area and the waterfront trail. Those viewing the display are encouraged to bring their chairs and blankets. No private fireworks will be allowed in or around viewing areas. No parking will be allowed on Railroad AV or in the marina.

The Ridgefield 4th of July Committee is an incorporated nonprofit organization and is organized and operated solely by volunteers. No committee member is paid. Funding for all the activities is raised through private and business donations, vendor fees and other application fees.

For more information, go to www.ridgefield4th.com.