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A festive Fourth in Ely Parade, park activities come amid HS All-Class Reunion Week
If this week’s All-Class Reunion activities weren’t enough, the community’s Independence Day celebration is also mixed in.
Hardly an afterthought, the July 4 festivities in Ely instead will be giant in nature - per usual - and come smack in the middle of the weeklong event commemorating the 100-year anniversary of Memorial High School.
Ely’s July 4 celebration is a familiar affair, full of the usual events including a parade and fireworks as well as a few more recent twists.
The parade follows its usual route, with line up on Fourth Avenue East and Boundary Street, with the parade going down Harvey Street to Second Avenue East. From there, it’s on to Sheridan Street, traveling east and winding up on Eighth Avenue next to Whiteside Park.
Ely’s parade generally attracts thousands to the city streets and well over 100 entrants and this year should be no exception. Given decades of history, Ely’s sidewalks will be full and it’s not uncommon for hundreds of lawnchairs to be placed the night before at favorite parade-watching locations.
Prizes will be awarded in both commercial and non-commercial categories, as well as for bikes/trikes, individual and group costumes and wagons.
The parade lineup is filling fast including some special additions this year because of the reunion.
“Some individual classes are doing some floats, and we’d like to see more of that,” said Casey Velcheff, who organizes the parade for the city of Ely.
Bands are always a big part of an Ely parade and this year’s event includes the Ely High School band along with high school bands from neighboring Mesabi East and Rock Ridge.
They’ll be joined by an Ely parade staple - the Ely Klown Band.
Entities including Veterans on the Lake and Fight for Mining Minnesota are among those with floats, and the Shriners are back with the AAD Shrine Dune Buggy Patrol.
The Ely Honor Guard will be leading the parade, along with area veterans who will be in a military truck.
It’s an election year and probably a given that the parade will include candidates seeking office this fall, while Zup’s is sure to be part of the parade with the grocery store’s usual assortment of giveaways.
Same-day entries are accepted for the parade, and those wishing to take part are invited to go to the lineup area on Monday.
The Bulldogs of the 148th Fighter Wing, the Duluth-based Air National Guard wing, will conduct an F-16 flyover. Attendees can expect to see two F-16s conduct a single pass at approximately 1,000 feet, traveling from west to east. The tentative time for the flyover is 11:15 a.m.
While the parade is a big highlight, it’s only part of Ely’s July 4 festivities.
The annual “Four on the Fourth” race around the Trezona Trail (8 a.m.) and a ceremonial flag raising at 10 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial highlight the morning events.
The park serves as a hub of activity throughout the day, with Ely’s YoungLife group putting on games, races and other fun events, along with a full slate of food and beverage offerings.
After the parade, Semers Park is the venue for several hours of events, with several musical acts performing at a family-friendly event that runs until 9 p.m. Ely’s city band, meanwhile, has a performance at the park bandshell immediately after the parade.
In what has become an Ely tradition, people will gather at the St. Anthony’s parking lot, along Pioneer Road and other great vantage points to see the fireworks display. It usually begins around 10 p.m.
