Apathy reigns on July 4 parade
Opening event for city's birthday may be cancelled for lack of interest
An Independence Day parade intended to kick off Lawrence’s 150th birthday celebration may fizzle out due to a lack of interest.
With Wednesday’s deadline approaching, only about 10 entries have signed up.
“There’s always a flurry of activity right before the deadline,” said Bob Foster, the Kansas University music professor who is a lead organizer of the parade. “Whether that’s enough for a parade, we’ll have to wait and see.”
The parade is scheduled for 10 a.m. July 4, with a route from Seventh and Massachusetts streets to South Park.
It was intended to be the first official event organized by the Lawrence Sesquicentennial Commission, which is planning events around the city’s 150th birthday on Sept. 18, 2004.
Foster had hoped the event would be a “community parade,” with entries such as children on bicycles, church groups and other community organizations. But he said those groups may prefer to participate in the neighborhood parades traditionally scheduled throughout Lawrence on Independence Day.
“We’re all a little surprised because we thought there would be a lot of community activity in this,” he said.
| Registration forms for the Independence Day parade are available at Lawrence Parks and Recreation facilities and at the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, 734 Vt., Suite 101.The parade is scheduled for 10 a.m. July 4 from Seventh and Massachusetts streets to South Park. |
Clenece Hills, president of the Sesquicentennial Commission, said the low interest couldn’t be blamed on a lack of publicity.
“I’m concerned about this,” she said. “I sent out 400 letters to every neighborhood organization, to children’s groups, to churches. Still we do not have a lot of entries.”
City residents lend an ear to amphitheater proposal (5-30-03)
6News video: Lawrence residents want to celebrate sesquicentennial at park (5-30-03)Foster said organizers would make a decision about the parade after Wednesday’s deadline.
Bernie Hill is one Lawrence resident who was looking forward to the event. Hill and other members of Dorsey-Liberty Post 14 of the American Legion are planning to enter a patriotic float that advertises American Legion baseball and Girls and Boys State.
“Anything to do with the troops and patriotism, we’re all for it,” Hill said. “We used to have parades all the time on the Fourth of July.”
He said he thought if Lawrence could support a St. Patrick’s Day parade and McLouth could support a Patriot’s Day parade, Lawrence certainly should be able to muster enough entries for an Independence Day parade.
“I just don’t know,” he said. “I don’t know why there wouldn’t be more interest.”