Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
WINONA LAKE - The fifth annual Fourth of July celebration is set for Saturday, with most events held in the park.
The town is covered in red, white and blue banners to mark the occasion.
The day will begin and end with a bang when the starter's gun is fired for the Firecracker 5K and the last canister of fireworks is set off from barges on Winona Lake.
Registration for the Firecracker 5K is at 7 a.m., with the run and walk beginning at 8 a.m. The awards ceremony is set for 9:30 a.m.
Don't miss an opportunity to sink your favorite town council member and other citizens at the dunk tank, sponsored by the Winona Lake Presbyterian youth group.
Dunk tank participants include: town board members Jerry Clevenger, David Delp, Craig Snow and Rolly Ortega; town coordinator Craig Allebach; clerk-treasurer Retha Hicks; Jefferson Elementary School principal Dennis Duncan; and Mark Illingworth.
The Prince and Princess Winona contest registration is at 10:30 a.m. Participants, ages 4 through 6, will be judged on personality and a neat appearance in a three-minute interview beginning at noon. Parade participation is encouraged but not required.
The Prince and Princess awards ceremony will be at 3:30 p.m.
The kids' parade lineup begins at 11 a.m. Entries can be as simple as a decorated bicycle, tricycle or wagon. Prizes will be given in two categories - 6 and younger, and 7 and older - for the most creative, best and funniest.
The lineup will be at the street department maintenance building on Chestnut Street, with the parade through the park.
From noon until 8 p.m. there will be food, games, prizes, a super slide, moon walk and other things for kids young and old to do.
Re-enactors from Back to the Days of Koscziusko will give demonstrations during the day.
From 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. ML Motorsport's ARCA #67 race car will be on view.
At 12:30 p.m. the pie-eating contest begins and Warsaw Community High School cheerleaders will give a demonstration at 1 p.m.
The Wildmans will perform a water-skiing exhibition at 2 p.m.
The Grace Brethren Church will serve strawberry shortcake from 2 to 4 p.m.
Two K-9 officers will give demonstrations. Fritz and his handler, Sgt. Craig Bale, of the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department, will appear at 12:30 p.m., and Jack and Winona Lake police officer Chad Stevens will appear at 7 p.m.
Cruise-in registration is from 3 to 5 p.m. The vehicles will be on display in the park's parking lot in front of the tennis courts from 5 to 8 p.m. The cruise-in awards ceremony will be at 8 p.m.
From 4 to 7 p.m. Sad Boy Trouble performs.
At 6 p.m. Caudill Tae Kwon Do will give demonstrations.
Fireworks will start around 9 p.m. with good viewing from the park and the Kosciusko County Fairgrounds.
Coordinators of the event are: Kirk McCutcheon, Lori McCutcheon, Amy Stephenson, Denny Duncan, Amy Gakstatter, Carolyn Gakstatter and Jan Illingworth.
