Annual July 4 activities get muddy due to rain; theme of papermaking used in many floats
Independence Day festivities in International Falls went well despite heavy rainfall Saturday night and Sunday.
According to National Weather Service reports, International Falls received 1.93 inches of rain Saturday and 1.2 inches of rain Sunday, which created standing water in some areas of Smokey Bear Park. This storm followed one last week that dropped 3 inches of rain.
Rain held off until the last float of the parade passed by the gathered crowd, which didn’t seem fazed by the weather and lined the city’s main street for the events.
Even after rain started just after the parade, many children could still be seen sloshing around in the water and mud. Many adults braved the brief afternoon storm, which faded into a nicer afternoon.
Clouds had passed by evening. At nightfall, Falls Fire Department crews lit fireworks over the Falls High School track area between the school and Rainy River Community College. Hundreds gathered along Highway 71 to witness the light display and hear a bagpipe concert before the event by Pipes and Drums of Manitoba.
It might not have been the weather that many had hoped for to celebrate the nation’s independence and birthday, but it did little to discourage those who joined together to celebrate. And in all, it had little effect on the schedule of events planned for the day besides moving some activities, such as kiddie races, to higher and drier ground.
The theme of the parade was “100 years of papermaking in the Falls.” Many groups included some aspect of the paper mill, papermaking, logging and related industry in their parade offerings.
“We had a lot of good comments,” said parade organizer Penny Strongman. She said the parade team had contemplated all options Sunday morning before deciding to risk the weather and continue the parade as planned for 1 p.m.
Forty-six entrants participated in this year’s parade, which ran down Third Street past the park and through downtown. The main event was preceded by a kiddie parade, featuring youngsters in their red-white-and--blue inspired outfits, bicycles, wagons and other props.
The Falls High School Class of 1960 won the top prize for its float, which was decorated in FHS purple and gold. Second place went to Boise Inc., which had children wearing paper hats on the green-and-white, papermaking-themed float. Third prize went to June’s Sewing, which included an Americana theme along with quilts and sewing paraphernalia.
The parade marshals were retired mill workers and loggers. Anyone from those groups was invited to participate in that role. They rode on a papermaking-themed float near the start of the parade. Joining the festivities were Jack Murray, Larry Johnson, Jim Demuth, Merv Mannausau, John Dunham, Don Fulton and Elmer Dobbs.
Strongman took over in parade duties from Kevin Adee due to medical reasons. She said that good help on the day of the event helped everything go off without a hitch.
While people huddled under the pavilion and umbrellas and got a bit muddy, the rain did not dampen the spirits of those who gathered to celebrate America’s freedom, the Borderland community and papermaking.
