Porter’s 2009 Fourth of July Celebration will feature a patriotic parade through the streets of the town on July 4 and a two-day Festival with a great lineup of local bands, plenty of popular food vendors, a beer garden, a bingo tent, and lots of games and activities for kids of all ages.

The celebration is sponsored by the Friends of Porter, a non-profit organization.

A committee of volunteers, chaired by Brenda Brueckheimer, did all the planning for the celebration, with contributions and assistance from local businesses and community organizations.

The weekend’s highlight will be a patriotic parade on Saturday, July 4. All kinds of entries are anticipated, including marching units, performing groups, floats, antique cars, and decorated vehicles.

The parade will form up at Yost Elementary School at 11am and will step off at 12 noon, following a route along Wagner Road and Lincoln Street through downtown Porter and ending in Hawthorne Park. Parade applications for last-minute entries are still available at the Porter Town Hall and the Chesterton Duneland Chamber of Commerce.

Kids are invited to Yost School at 10 a.m. to decorate their bikes in preparation for the parade. Prizes will be given for best decorated bikes after the parade’s conclusion. Porter Bank is sponsoring the bike decorating activity.

A King and Queen have been named to preside over this year’s parade. Jim Ruge, president of Porter Bank, will serve as King. Florence Dresh will be Queen. A resident of the town for more than 60 years, Florence, at age 91, teaches senior exercise classes at the Duneland Family YMCA.

A village of inflatable bounce houses, for the enjoyment of youngsters, will be set up in Hawthorne Park on both Saturday and Sunday. The Chesterton Lions Club will continue a decades-long tradition by sponsoring a Turtle Race at 10am on Saturday. The Porter Parks Department will host a tent featuring a variety of activities for children, and games and other fun events for all comers will be available on both days.

Adults may want to try their luck at the bingo tent sponsored by the Chesterton American Legion. There will be opportunities to “Dunk A Cop” at a concession sponsored by the Chesterton Moose. Proceeds from this activity will help fund the annual “Shop with a Cop” campaign. Grown ups might also choose to relax in the shade at the outdoor beer garden sponsored by Pat’s Liquors of Porter. Vendors will offer an assortment of crafts and other items for sale to interested shoppers, and donated items are being collected for a silent auction.

A wide variety of musical acts will provide entertainment in Hawthorne Park. A bluegrass band and several local rock bands will perform on Saturday, and the Rusty Pipes Orchestra will perform traditional standards on Sunday at 2pm.

Local favorite Chester Brown will headline a full program of rock music in Hawthorne Park on Sunday from 1pm to 10pm. Other local bands participating in the program will be Ed Strudas & Friends, Ghanges River, and Ron Buffington.

The Chesterton Lions Club will start off food services with a pancake breakfast. They will serve from 9am to 11am on both Saturday and Sunday. Wagner’s Ribs, Santiago’s Mexican Restaurant, and Giggle’s Pizza will be offering their signature dishes for sale, and Porter Zip Foods will be selling broasted chicken and ice cream. Elephant ears, fried vegetables, Chinese food, Italian ices, and cupcakes are among other selections to be offered by vendors in Hawthorne Park.

For more information on Porter’s 2009 Fourth of July Celebration, call 219-926-1156.

Posted 7/1/2009