Independence Day Celebration 2008

View Event Timeline (subject to change) and 2008 Sponsors.

Fireworks

As always, the night will culminate with an amazing fireworks display. The fireworks, which begin at 10 p.m., will be choreographed to patriotic music.

American Heroes Parade

All military men and women are invited to be part of this special one hour tribute! If you have a uniform, old or current, we would love you to proudly wear it. Even if you don't have a uniform, please join us for the parade! A WWII Air Force veteran will be in attendance wearing his WWII uniform!

Military Tribute

This year’s Military Tribute, a patriotic tribute to all branches of the Armed Forces, will feature music from a community choir, and a special appearance by Gary B. Beikirch, Chaplain, Congressional Medal of Honor Society. We invite all veterans to be part of this tribute beginning at 7:30 p.m. Leading up to the fireworks, don’t miss the Mighty St. Joe’s Alumni Corps, one of the area’s top Drum & Bugle Corps.

(Read Gary Beikirch’s Vietnam War Story.)

Mighty St. Joe’s Alumni Corps

St. Joseph’s Drum Corps was founded in 1931 by the Rev. T. Bernard Kelly, pastor of St. Joseph’s Church in Batavia. Organized as a youth activity for youngsters in the Batavia area, the corps started as a choir, then a fife & drum corps and finally a parade corps. In 1951, corps graduates formed St Joseph’s Drum Corps Association Inc., to perpetuate Father Kelly’s work. The association sponsored and supervised two corps; a feeder corps, ages 6 to 12; and the older unit, “Mighty” St Joe’s, ages 12 to 21. St. Joseph’s Drum Corps operated as a parade corps till the late 1950s, when it became a field competition corps. During the l960s, Mighty St. Joe’s rose to National and International prominence, consistently ranking among the top ten junior corps in the country.

After 20 years of inactivity, Mighty St. Joe’s Alumni Corps was formed in the fall of 1991 by former members. Wishing again to enjoy an activity that meant so much to them in their teenage years, the present corps was founded and held their first rehearsal December 8,1991. At that first rehearsal there were 32 people in attendance. Today the corps has more than 200 people involved in one capacity or another. The goals of the organization are to furnish its members with opportunities to perform in a non-competitive basis and to try to put the "good times" back in drum corps.

Inflatables and Other Kid-Friendly Activities

Along with the wide array of huge inflatable rides that will be at the SportsPark, you will find fun activities such as face-painting and speed cup stacking.

Old-Fashioned Food Prices

All day long you can buy hot dogs, chips, drinks, sno-cones, cotton candy, and popcorn at old-fashioned prices — the hot dogs are only $1 and everything else is just 50¢!

Thank you! We had an absolute ball. My parents drove up from Pittsburgh, PA at our invitation to share in this celebration of God and country. My father participated in the salute to our veterans, having served in the Air Force during the Korean War. My family’s pride and humility were both equally present during this moving presentation (we all had tears in our eyes). Needless to say, we went home thoroughly engulfed in happy laughter, and risen spirits. It was truly a 4th of July we will always remember. Different members of my family worked as volunteers throughout the day, and served with joy. I want to send our appreciation for this event to the Lord, your vision, all the volunteers, the performers, and all the sponsors. My wife and I even bought a new van from Doan to show our appreciation for their participation.
—Gary Cooper, Rochester Business Institute