LJWorld.com

Bring your tired, your poor, and your huddled masses to Lawrence's July Fourth parade. Lady Liberty will be there.

To grab the attention of the hundreds of people expected to attend the city's first Independence Day parade, Nate Sipe spent the past week building a 14-foot replica of the Statue of Liberty.

¢ July 4th scheduled festivities ¢ 6News video: City fireworks ban goes into effect ¢ Most city services will close for holiday

She will be the centerpiece of a float -- one of more than 40 set to roll in the parade that begins at 10 a.m. today -- carrying the Lawrence Bill of Rights Defense Committee. The float will also be adorned with a 5-foot-tall copy of the Bill of Rights.

While having fun with parade spectators, the committee also hopes to warn revelers how American freedoms won more than 200 years ago could be lost.

"We think our liberty and freedom could be at stake," Sipe said. "We want to make a visual statement of how the Bill of Rights are being violated."

After nearly being canceled for lack of interest, today's parade will be a victory for the Lawrence Sesquicentennial Commission, which organized the event to kick off a yearlong celebration of Lawrence's 150th birthday.

Bob Foster, one of the parade's organizers, said the sesquicentennial theme led many float creators to incorporate history into their designs. Plymouth Congregational Church will dedicate its float to the Rev. Richard Cordley, a Lawrence historian and victim of Quantrill's Raid, for whom Cordley School was named.

"I think this whole celebration will help a lot of young people develop an awareness of the history and legacy of Lawrence," Foster said.

Anna Curfman, left, and Nate Sipe, both of Lawrence, and residents of Sunflower House Cooperative, 1406 Tenn., work at completing a papier- mache Statue of Liberty for the city's Fourth of July parade. The 14-foot statue will go on a float organized by the Lawrence chapter of the Bill of Rights Defense Committee.

Fireworks displays

Several churches, school groups and neighborhood associations will be represented in the parade, as well as Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical. The fanfare also will include such area bands as the Army Reserve band, The Flying Dutchmen and Junkyard Jazz.

Foster attributed earlier parade apathy to the difficulty of getting out information. But after a series of articles in the Journal-World, he said, interest in the event boomed.

Traditional fireworks celebrations will fill Lawrence and area skies tonight. Because of financial trouble and safety concerns, the big display at Perry Lake has been canceled, but the city of Lawrence and Lawrence Jaycees' annual show is set to begin about 9:30 p.m. in Burcham Park.

Free bus transportation will be provided to and from downtown parking lots, sponsored by the Journal-World. Buses will start running at 6 p.m., passing city lots on Vermont and New Hampshire streets between Sixth and 11th streets on the way to the park's entrance off Indiana Street.

By 10 p.m., the shuttle service will be suspended so six buses can line up on Indiana Street to begin taking people back to the downtown lots after the display.

Neighborhood parades

Children will be the stars of Morning Star Church's bicycle parade. Participants will gather at 9 a.m. at Quail Run School to decorate bicycles and the parade begins at 10 a.m. Another neighborhood bicycle parade begins at 9:30 a.m. at the intersection of Seventh and Ohio Streets and will roll on to Watson Park.

But the big parade will be downtown, and organizers are hoping to draw a flag-waving crowd.

While some float passengers will toss candy and other treats, the Bill of Rights Defense Committee will distribute information about the group. Sipe said he hoped the parade would introduce more people to the organization and inspire them to get involved.

The committee was born as a reaction to actions taken by the federal government since Sept. 11, particularly the USA Patriot Act. Members are working to persuade the Lawrence City Commission not to cooperate with the federal government in enforcing the act and similar new laws.

"We're trying to protect our rights the best we can as citizens," Sipe said.

What role will fireworks play in your Fourth of July? I'll shoot them within the city limits, despite the new city ban. I disagree with the ban, but I'll obey it. I'll shoot them outside the city limits. I'll attend a public fireworks show. I won't shoot any myself. I don't need fireworks to enjoy Independence Day. Fireworks are dangerous and loud. I'll phone police if my neighbors are illegally shooting them. Undecided. ¢ See the results » Note: This is not a scientific poll. The results reflect only the opinions of those who chose to participate. ¢ Related stories: Fireworks expected to move to county