Area prepares to celebrate the 4th

Jeremy Young’s work Thursday was a sure sign of the coming Independence Day holiday.

As neighborhoods get ready for Fourth of July parades and Lawrence Jaycees prepare for their annual fireworks show in Burcham Park, Long was out Thursday setting up his J&J Fireworks tent south of the Lawrence city limits.

“I’ve always liked fireworks and enjoyed them when I was younger,” said the 18-year-old Lawrence High School graduate. “It’s kind of fun to see kids with firework displays of their own.”

Jeremy Long, 18, Lawrence, secures the sign to his fireworks stand south of Lawrence. Today is the first legal day to buy fireworks, although a Lawrence ordinance bans setting off most fireworks within city limits. Long set up his stand on Thursday a mile south of 31st and Haskell streets.

Long’s stand is one of several that will open today in Douglas County. A Lawrence ordinance forbids fireworks in the city, but many novelty items are still legal and fireworks are legal in areas of Douglas County.

People will be able to shoot fireworks in the county — and its two parks — from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. today and Saturday, and from 7 a.m. to midnight Sunday. Approved vendors may sell fireworks on those three days.

Long, who will study business at Washburn University next fall, started a second stand in Wellsville last year after the ordinance passed in Lawrence.

“Sales went down some last year, but not near what I expected it to be,” Long said.

Neighborhood parades

For those not interested in fireworks, several other activities will celebrate America’s birthday.

A neighborhood parade will start at 10 a.m. Sunday at Seventh and Ohio streets.

Families will parade around the block and finish up by eating Popsicles at Buford M. Watson Jr. Park. A fire truck will lead the parade this year, said co-organizer Jennifer Glenn.

“It’s a family parade, not just a children’s parade,” Glenn said. “We want everyone to participate.

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“It’s a lot of fun; it’s America at its best.”

Glenn and Laurie McLane-Higginson started the small parade seven years ago after hearing childhood stories from their friend, Becky O’Keefe.

O’Keefe grew up in Lawrence and has strong memories of seeing neighborhood Independence Day parades when she was young.

“We used to plan and plan how you would decorate your bike for the parade,” O’Keefe said. “I think neighborhood traditions are so important for kids. That neighborhood becomes part of your family.”

Lexi Grob’s neighborhood in northwest Lawrence will have a similar parade at 11 a.m. Sunday. About 100 people who live or once lived in the neighborhood will gather at Tumbleweed and Sharon drives and parade around the block.

Jeremy Long, left, 18, constructs a display table as his father, Len, looks on. The Long family, which runs a fireworks stand one mile south of 31st street on Haskell, readied for the today's first day of selling fireworks.

“We always end up back on Tumbleweed and have watermelon and Popsicles,” Grob said. “We’ll do it rain or shine.”

Grob’s neighborhood has been having the parade for the past 10 years.

“It’s always fun when people who no longer live in the neighborhood come back to watch,” Grob said.

Night show

The Lawrence Jaycees will play host to a big celebration Sunday night at Burcham Park, Second and Indiana streets.

Two bands, Prairie Acre and Alferd Packer Memorial String Band, will play from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. An hourlong fireworks celebration will start about 9:45 p.m.

This is the only event that has filed for a permit to shoot fireworks in the city, said Fire Marshal Rich Barr.

Barr said Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical would have a unit stationed at the celebration but was not otherwise planning on extra staffing this weekend.

Because this is the second year of the Lawrence fireworks ban, Barr is not expecting many problems.

“I’m sure there will still be folks that don’t comply with the ordinance,” Barr said. “But every year it continues there will be more compliance than the previous year.”

Barr said residents should call 911 if they knew of a specific location or address where fireworks were in violation of the ordinance.

Here is a listing of area Fourth of July events:BaldwinAt 5 p.m. Sunday there will be food, games, a dunk tank and a band at the high school ball field. Citizens for Baldwin City will sponsor a fireworks display at 9 p.m.EudoraThere will be a fireworks display, sponsored by Eudora Parks and Recreation, at dusk Sunday at the high school. Parking is at the middle school.LawrenceLawrence Jaycees will sponsor a fireworks display at Burcham Park, Second and Indiana streets, from 9:45 p.m. to 10:45 p.m. Bands will play from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Shuttles, sponsored by the Journal-World, will run from 6 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. from the downtown parking lots on Vermont and New Hampshire streets. Shuttles will return to parking lots after the display.McLouthThere will be a fireworks display Sunday night at the McLouth Sports Complex.OttawaThe Ottawa Jaycees will sponsor a fireworks display at dusk Sunday in Forest Park.Perry LakeWill have a small-scale fireworks display at 9 p.m. Saturday at Perry Lake. There will be a boat parade at 4 p.m. and a jazz band will play throughout the evening. The restaurant at the marina will be open.

According to Lawrence Fire Marshal Rich Barr, the following novelty fireworks items are still acceptable within the city limits under Lawrence’s ban:¢ Party poppers — small items not more than .25 grains of explosive with a string protruding from the device that is usually pulled to ignite.¢ Snakes, glow worms — produces a snake-like ash upon burning.¢ Snappers — small paper wrapped item with no more than .02 grains of explosive that, when dropped, the device explodes.¢ Sparklers — Wire or stick coated with pyrotechnic material that ignites to produce a shower of sparks (sparklers are only permitted in Lawrence from June 27-July 5 as part of the state permitted items).¢ Toy caps — toy plastic or paper caps for toys sold in sheets, strips, rolls or individually.¢ Toy smoke devices — produce smoke only and contains a limited amount of pyrotechnic material. This includes smoke bombs that are labeled “novelty.”