Austin Freedom Fest 2016

•Larry Dolphin named parade grand marshal, Page 2 •Freedom Fest schedule, Page 3 •Parade lineup, Page 4

Dolphin will be parade grand marshal

Plan your Fourth of July weekend in Austin. Invite your family and friends and join in our annual celebration of community and country — Freedom Fest!

This year’s calendar of events will span four days, beginning on Friday, July 1 with the Jaycees’ Street Dance and ending July 4 with a spectacular (larger than ever) fireworks display over Bandshell Park.

In between there will lots to do for all of you.

Let’s start with the parade. About 100 units are entered in this year’s Independence Day Parade, which begins at 11 a.m. from the corner of Fourth Ave and Fourth Street Northeast (City Hall). The parade will follow Fourth Avenue to Main Street, and then proceed south to Bandshell Park.

One of Austin’s most colorful and engaging leaders, Larry Dolphin, will be recognized as parade grand marshal.

Dolphin, executive director of the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center, is retiring after 26 years. This will be everyone’s opportunity to applaud him for all he has done to educate and engage us all in the great outdoors. He’ll be joined by a host of Friends of the Nature Center.

The parade will feature eight musical entries, including the Austin High School Marching Band, Alumni Band, Albert Lea High School Band, Blooming Prairie’s Stix of Fury, Austin Community Band and the Rochester Caledonian Pipe and Drum Corp.

Veterans will lead the way, as they do every year. They will be recognized and thanked during opening ceremonies in the park, as well. It is fitting and right that we do so here and everywhere across our country on Independence Day. Take the opportunity to join in saluting our veterans.

The first five Pillars of the City will be unveiled, immediately after the flag raising ceremony.

Local talent will be featured throughout Freedom Fest with 24 hours of music scheduled. The Jaycees get things started with their street dance at Torge’s Live, Friday night. The Eagles host a car show and live music in their parking lot, July 2. And Bandshell Park will showcase entertainers on stage and on the grounds

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2016

Jay C. Hormel Nature Center Executive Director Larry Dolphin, left, high fives a man along Fourth Avenue Northeast during a past parade.

Dolphin, who plans to retire, will be this year’s grand marshal. Herald file photo

Sandy Forstner Austin Area Chamber of Commerce executive director

from 2-10 p.m. July 3 and 2:30-10 p.m. on the Fourth of July.

Got kids? Bring them down to Bandshell Park, July 3 and 4 for free rides, slides, games and contests. Enjoy a taste of summer at any one of 13 great food concessions. Enter the Power Pedal Pull,

July 3, and take a fast ride on the 80-foot zip line. Fourth of July entertainment will include a “little bit of country” with a kids petting zoo, horse-drawn wagon rides, bags tournament and fire department “water wars.”

Both days will be capped by fantastic fireworks displays over Bandshell Park at dusk.

The entire family is encouraged to register for active events, July 2, including the 5-mile Hog Jog and 25-mile Dan Ulwelling Bike Race. You can also take your kids fishing on Eastside Lake at 10 a.m. on

Saturday for bragging rights and a chance at winning some great prizes. There is no entry fee.

A complete list of all Freedom Fest activities is listed in this special section and on the chamber’s website, www.austincoc. com. Freedom Fest is organized by the Austin Area Chamber of Commerce with the financial support of more than 160 business and organizational sponsors. It’s their way of saying “thank you” for your business throughout the year. Remember to support those who support our community: Buy Mower, Grow Mower!

AUSTIN DAILY HERALD - FREEDOM FEST

2016 Freedom Fest Schedule of Events

June 30

11 a.m.-5 p.m. Children’s Miracle Network Fundraiser at Accentra Credit Union, 400 Fourth Ave. NE. Hotdogs, Spam Burgers and ice cream bars will be sold.

July 1

11 a.m.-5 p.m. Children’s Miracle Network Fundraiser at Accentra Credit Union, 400 Fourth Ave. NE 6:30 p.m. Free Peace Garden concert at Hormel Historic Home. Performance by the Austin Community Jazz Band 8 p.m.-1 a.m. Jaycees Street Dance, Torge’s Live, 1701 Fourth St. NW. Rhino will perform outside from 8 p.m. to midnight and Strange Daze will perform from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. inside. $5 cover charge at door.

July 2

8 a.m. Hog Jog at the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center.

6:45-7:30 a.m. registration, 8 a.m. race time. Early registration at the YMCA. 10 a.m.-noon Kids Fishing Contest at East Side Lake Park, free. Registration begins on site at 9:30 a.m.

Noon, 25-mile Dan Ulwelling Bike Race at the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center, 11 a.m. registration, noon race time. Registration fee: $15, organized by the chamber.

Austin Eagles Club Summer Bash 2-4 p.m. Car show, registration at noon.

6:30-8:30 p.m. The Ripdoozers 9 p.m.-12 a.m. Echo Messenger

July 3

7 a.m.-1 p.m. Morning Lions Fly-In Breakfast at the Austin Municipal Airport 2-8 p.m. Mower County Veterans Bingo at the Bandshell Community Park Pavilion.

Bandshell Park events Family Day at Bandshell Community Park, free. Rides and slides, Kaptain Kirby Train Rides, 80-foot Zip Line.

2-9 p.m. Arts and crafts vendors 2-2:30 p.m. Jane Taylor Academy of Dance 2:45-3:15 p.m. Bridget’s Dance Conservatory 3:30 p.m. Miss Sparkler/Mr. Firecracker Pageant.

Open to girls and boys ages 5 to 8. Registration forms available at www.austincoc.com.

5 p.m. Power Pedal. Registration begins at 4:30 p.m.

5 p.m. Terry Schmidt 6 p.m. Axiom Student Ministry 7 p.m. Ventura Highway 8:30 p.m. AHS Jazz Band Dusk Fireworks

2-4 p.m. Free Ice cream social at Westminster Presbyterian Church.

2-8 p.m. Mower County Veterans Bingo at the Bandshell Community Park Pavilion.

Bandshell Park events 12:30 p.m. Rochester Caledonian Pipe Band 1 p.m. Opening ceremony and flag raising 1-9 p.m. Arts and crafts vendors in the park 1:30 p.m. Pillars of the Community unveiling 2:30-3:30 p.m. Cedar River Strings 4:30-5:30 p.m. The Ripdoozers 6:30-8 p.m. Denny and The D.C. Drifters Three Star Show 8 p.m. Announcements/Drawings 8:30 p.m. Austin Community Band Dusk Fireworks

July 4

10:45 a.m. Mini Piggy Fun Run on the parade route 11 a.m. Parade from City Hall to Bandshell park 2-5 p.m. Area Fire Department Water Wars, 9th Place SW. 2 p.m. Bags tourney north of Bandshell. Registration at 1 p.m., play starts at 2 p.m. $10 per person.

Participants of the Little Miss Sparkler and Mr. Firecracker stand on stage before the winners were crowned last year.

AUSTIN DAILY HERALD - FREEDOM FEST

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2016

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2016 Freedom Fest parade lineup

•VFW Post & Auxiliary •American Legion Post 91 - Austin •American Legion Post 91 - Austin •American Legion Post 146-Adams •American Legion Post 146-Auxiliary •DAV •American Legion Riders-Post 91 •Boy Scouts & Cub Scouts of Austin Area •Girl Scouts •Beyond the Yellow Ribbon •River Rats Car Club •Austin Alumni Band •Grand Marshal •Jay C Hormel Nature Center & Friends •Hy-Vee •Austin Utilities •Hollandale Christian School •Sterling Beauty Salon •Little Miss Sparkler •Austin High Cheerleaders •Austin High School Marching Band •Cedars of Austin •Summerset Theatre •B&T Coaches LLC •Mayo Clinic Health System-AL/AU •Gene’s Pedalists •US Bank •St Mark’s Living •Austin Shrine Oriental Band •Walmart •Kwik Trip •Bridget’s Dance Conservatory •Great Clips •Spam Museum •Miss Austin 2016 •Pacelli Catholic Schools •Jane Taylor Academy of Dance •Rochester Caledonian Pipe Band •Culver’s •Cricket Wireless •Riverside Figure Skating Club •ABC 6 News/KAAL TV •Knights of Columbus •Impact Martial Arts & Fitness •Austin Lions Go-Cart Unit •Denny & DC Drifters •Kuehn Motor Company •City of Austin Mayor Tom Stiehm •Enterprise 4-H Club •Albert Lea HS Marching Band •Austin Area Commission for the Arts •AARSA •H&R Block •Y-Waste Removal •Austin Bruins •Austin Youth Hockey •Hormel Institute-U of M •Blooming Prairie “The Stix of Fury” •Hoot & Ole’s Tavern •Freeborn-Mower Cooperative •D&G Ace Hardware •Farmers Market Place

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2016

•Osman Dragon Patrol •State Senator Dan Sparks •Jeanne Poppe-House Representative •Tim Walz •Crane Community Chapel •Gold Cross Ambulance Service •Lyle Area Cancer •Alley Katz •Mower County GOP •Mower County Fair •Casey’s •Minnesota Corrugated Box •Meyerhofer Crane & Rigging •Relay for Life •Windom 4-H •Pizza Ranch •Rochester Merry Medics •Crabtree Lawn & Snow •YMCA Gymnastics •Salvation Army •Thompson Sanitation Inc •Austin Windshield Plus •Power 96 & KQAQ 970 AM •Rochester Cycle Patrol •Mower County Sheriff •Mower County Mentoring Program •Mower County Historical Society Simplified Technology Solutions •Matchbox Children’s Theatre •Vision 2020 •T’NG Plumbing LLC •Austin Community Band •Walgreens •Myrtle Fire Department •Mapleview Fire Department •Austin Fire Department —Parade lineup is as of June 27 and is subject to change.

AUSTIN DAILY HERALD - FREEDOM FEST