A wide range of events will be hosted by area communities for their Independence Day celebrations.
Winona Lake
Fireworks will be held at dusk Saturday on the lake, with a rain date of Sunday.
Also on Saturday, Winona Lake will host a cutie contest. Prince and Princess Winona is for 3- and 4-year-olds. King and Queen Winona is for 5- and 6-year-olds. Registration is from 2 to 2:45 p.m. and the contest starts at 3 p.m.
A parade will be Saturday. Registration and lineup are at 5:15 p.m. at the corner of Columbia and Park Avenue. The parade begins at 6 p.m.
A live DJ and free activities will be held at the lake from 5 to 9 p.m., which includes face painting, pony rides and food vendors.
The parade, DJ and cutie contests will be held rain or shine.
On Friday, Winona Lake will host the Winona Lake Flotilla. Lineup begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Winona Lake pier, and the procession begins at 8 p.m. No rain date is scheduled.
Chapman Lake
Fireworks will be held at 10 p.m. July 6. The rain date will be July 7 at 10 p.m.
Pancake breakfast will be held from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. July 6.
Parade will be on July 5 starting at 8 p.m., with start and end at the lake’s club house.
North Webster
Fireworks will be held at 10 p.m. July 6 at Kline Island in Webster Lake with a special fireworks cruise offered by the Dixie Boat.
The only public area on Webster Lake from which to view the fireworks is at the North Webster Town Park.
The rain date will be 10 p.m. July 7.
The Webster SkiBees Show will be at 6 p.m. July 6 in the town park. Ski shows last approximately one hour and spectators need to bring a lawn chair.
Syracuse Lake
Fireworks will by on the lake on July 4 at dusk. No rain date is scheduled.
Lake Wawasee
Fireworks will be held July 6 at dusk. No rain date is scheduled.
Akron
Fireworks will be held at dusk July 4 at Akron Elementary School. No rain delay is scheduled.
A firecracker 5K run/walk will be from 8 to 10 a.m. July 4 at Akron Elementary School.
The Miss Sparkler and Mr. Firecracker competitions will be at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Akron Community Center.
Nappanee
Fireworks will be held at 10:15 p.m. July 4 at Stauffer Park.
Nappanee Rotary Junior Olympics will be at 9 a.m. Little Miss and Mister Firecracker will be from 5 to 6 p.m.
Kids Firefighter Challenge will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
The cornhole tournament will be at 5:30 p.m.
The eighth Annual Napp Town Huntdown will be at 7:30 p.m.
The Little League Baseball game will be at 7:30 p.m.
All of these events will be held at Stauffer Park, except The Big Cup Golf Tournament will be at 8 a.m. at McCormick Creek Golf Course.
A parade will start at 4 p.m. at Lincoln Street and end at Stauffer Park.
North Manchester
Manchester University will host its 18th annual Independence Day Celebration and Fireworks Display Saturday starting at 7 p.m. on the campus.
The family-friendly event on the athletic fields off East Street is open to the public.
Fun and games for children begin at 7 p.m., with the Manchester Civic Band playing at 7:30 p.m.
At 10 p.m., the North Manchester Fire Department will light up the sky with the fireworks display.
The soccer field bleachers will be open for viewing, but seats fill up quickly. Those who do not arrive early will want to bring lawn chairs or blankets.
Free activities include cornhole, sidewalk chalk, temporary tattoos and ladder golf.
