Independence Day Activities 2012
The following are Independence Day 2012 activities scheduled for communities covered by NOW Newspapers. Click here for activities in communities covered by Lake Country Publications. All activities are on Wednesday, July 4, unless noted.
Milwaukee/Ozaukee County
Bayside
Bayside residents should meet at the Bayside Middle School parking lot at 8:45 a.m. for the parade, which starts at 9 a.m. and travels to Ellsworth Park. Children are encouraged to decorate their bikes for the parade and bring their (leashed) dogs. There is ice cream and coffee at Ellsworth Park following the parade. Community Bark is again sponsoring Bayside’s Best Dog.
Brown Deer
Brown Deer’s main and children’s parades both begin at 1:30 p.m.
The main parade begins at Brown Deer Middle School and proceeds along North 51st Street to Village Park led by Marshal Mary Kust. Children should meet at the West Dean Road Service Drive off 52nd Street between 1 and 1:15 p.m. for the children’s parade. Children 7 years and younger must be accompanied by an adult.
All children’s parade participants and children are invited to an ice cream party at 2 p.m. near the 1884 Schoolhouse Museum. The Village Pond is open between noon and 5 p.m. and a beer tent is open between 1 and 11 p.m. There will be a corn roast and picnic between 2 and 8:30 p.m., children’s games between 3 and 4 p.m., bingo from 3 and 9 p.m., music from 2 and 9:30 p.m., Fourth of July cake at 6 p.m., and a raffle at 8:45 p.m.
Fireworks are scheduled for 9:30 p.m.
Fox Point
Fox Point residents should assemble at the Police Department at 8:30 a.m. and the parade begins at 9 a.m., traveling north of Santa Monica Boulevard and west on Bell Road to Longacre Pavilion.
Activities to follow include a jazz quartet, free ice cream, Cracker Jacks and beverages, the annual softball game, clowns, face-painting and more.
Franklin
The children’s parade will begin at 10:30 a.m. Participants should arrive at the Police Department by 10 a.m. The main parade will start at 11 a.m. at Loomis Road and Forest Hill Avenue, and will make its way north on Loomis, turn right on Drexel Avenue and end at the fire station. Fireworks begin at 9:30 p.m. on the festival grounds, which will be open all day from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Glendale
Activities begin with the children's parade at 10 a.m. The main parade begins at Parkway School at 10:30 a.m. and proceeds north to Kletzsch Park. Evening entertainment at Kletzsch Park begins at 5 p.m. with food available. Fireworks are at 9:15 p.m.
Greendale
The children’s parade, for children 10 and younger, will begin at 9:45 a.m. It will line up at St. Thomas of Canterbury Church. The main parade will take place at 10 a.m. It begins at Grange Avenue and Northway, continues on Northway to Broad Street, and then concludes at Greendale High School. Following, there will be an ice cream giveaway at Jaycee Park.
Fireworks begin at 9:15 p.m. and there will be seating on the grounds across from Greendale High School and Jaycee Park areas.
Greenfield
A celebration will run from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. at Konkel Park, 5151 W. Layton Ave. The parade begins at 12:15 p.m. Former Green Bay Packer Mark Tauscher is the honorary parade marshal and will be in the "Are You Smarter than a Fifth-Grader" contest. Other activities include BMX tricks, a pie-eating contest and live music.
Fireworks are at 9:30 p.m.
Hales Corners
A 9 a.m. children’s parade will be followed by games and custard from Culver’s at Hales Corners Elementary School. The main parade will begin at 102nd street and Forest Home Avenue at 4 p.m. and will end at Village Hall.
Fireworks will commence at dusk at Hales Corners Park.
Mequon
Mequon and Thiensville once again play host to Family Fun before the Fourth this year on Saturday, June 30. The parade begins at 10:30 a.m. on Cedarburg Road at the Weyenberg Library, north into Thiensville on Main Street, east on Freistadt, south on Green Bay Road and then east on Elm Street to Thiensville Village Park. There is free ice cream accompanied by the Homestead High School Marching Band, starting at noon.
From 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. spectators can get a Taste of Mequon-Thiensville Talent, featuring the Bella Via Dance Studio, North Shore Dance Studio, Rince Nia Irish Academy of Dance & Culture, Knowledge Edge-Spelling Bee, and LakeShore Dance. The Badgerland Waterski team performs between 3:30 and 5 p.m. before The No Nothings take to the stage between 5 and 7 p.m. and Christopher’s Project plays from 7 p.m. until dusk.
Fireworks are scheduled for dusk, and a Venetian boat parade will light up the river from 8:30 to 9 p.m.
Oak Creek
The parade will start at 9 a.m. at the corner of Groveland Drive and Shepard Avenue. It will end at the the American Legion building on Shepard. There will be games and ice cream available for the kids after the parade. Elected officials will also be present for those who wish to meet them.
Fireworks will begin at 9 p.m. at East Middle School.
Shorewood
Shorewood will kick off its Fourth of July celebration with a free, all-ages swim at the Verner H. Esser pool at Shorewood High School between 1 and 2 p.m. The parade begins at 3:30 p.m. and moves south along Oakland Avenue from Kensington Boulevard to Spector Field in River Park.
At 4:30 p.m. there is free ice cream and a concert by Red Hot Dixie Band at River Park. Starting at 6 p.m. food, music, and children’s activities will light up Atwater Park.
Fireworks are scheduled for 9:30 p.m., and the beach closes at noon for setup.
Wauwatosa
Wauwatosa’s Independence Day Celebration,"Proud To Be an American," kicks off with a parade along North Avenue from 104th to 80th streets at 9 a.m. More than 75 units will participate including Parade Marshal Sherryl Wedel.
Afterward, head over to Hart Park from family games, entertainment and concessions.
Children should bring their bicycles, tricycles, doll buggies and coaster wagons to decorate and parade at the park at 1:30 p.m. The will be free ice cream for all who participate.
Fireworks will be launched from the park at 9:15 p.m. Fireworks will be launched from 70th Street near the bridge. Fireworks can be viewed best from the open area between 70th - 72nd Street. The rain date is July 5.
West Allis
West Allis continues its tradition of a multi-day celebration with a 7 p.m. parade on Monday, July 2, beginning at State Fair Park and ending at Veterans' Memorial Park. A community celebration follows, featuring live music, water games and more. Activities continue through Wednesday, with the Grand Finale Show set for 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at State Fair Park. Fireworks begin at 9:30 p.m.
Whitefish Bay
Whitefish Bay’s parade begins at 11:30 a.m. at Kent Avenue and Silver Spring Drive, east to Lake Drive, and north to Klode Park, led by Whitefish Bay High School Principal and Grand Marshal Bill Henkle.
The Klode Park Festival begins with a 1 p.m. flag raising followed by games from 1 to 4 p.m. and music from 12:30 to 9:15 p.m. Games include, among others, mini bowling, bean bag toss and mini golf. Face-painting is also available. The music stage hosts 5 Card Studs, Stray Voltage, Southbound, and Pink Houses.
Fireworks are scheduled for 9:30 p.m.
Washington/Waukesha County
Brookfield (city)
The parade begins at 10 a.m. on Gebhardt Road near Brookfield Central High School and will travel north on Calhoun, west on North Avenue and south on Norhardt Drive.The City's annual ice-cream social takes place at Civic Plaza following the parade.
The pre-fireworks Family Fest is from 6 to 9 p.m. at Mitchell Park. Enjoy family oriented games, food and live entertainment.
Fireworks are at 9:15 p.m. at Mitchell Park.
Brookfield (town)
Parade starts at 9 a.m. at Elmbrook Church, 777 Barker Road, travels north on Barker, east on Davidson Road and south on Linden Lane to Marx Park.
Immediately after the parade, there will be games for kids and a picnic where patrons can buy hotdogs, brats and beverages.
Noteworthy: at 11:30 a.m., the Fire Department will do a "hose down," spraying water on those who want to cool off.
Elm Grove
The celebration begins at 9 a.m. with a fun run/walk on the Village grounds (2 miles). Other activities include a bike decorating contest, open swim at the village pool, baking contest and more.
Fireworks are at 9:30 p.m.
Click here for a complete list of events. | See a flyer from the Village here.
Germantown
July 4 is full of back-to-back events in Germantown beginning with the annual parade that starts at noon on Pilgrim and Mequon roads.
The celebrations continue throughout the afternoon at Fireman’s Park. Vendors selling candy, funnel cakes, ice cream, soda, brats, hot dogs, beer, lemonade, roasted nuts and shaved ice will be set up in the park. There will also be children’s games, a fast pitch softball machine and nine-hole mini-golf, according to event organization Anne-Marie Hoell.
Entertainment will be provided by Accompany of Kids with performances scheduled for 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. The band Copper Box will perform from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The festivities will conclude with fireworks at dusk.
Menomonee Falls
The Optimist Club is sponsoring an Independence Day parade, as well as fireworks on July 3 to ring in the holiday. The parade is slated for 7 p.m. on Appleton Avenue and Elm Road. The floats and marchers will travel up Appleton Avenue to Woosencraft Drive before ending at Menomonee Falls High School, W142 N8101 Merrimac Drive.
Fireworks will begin at dusk, which will fall between 9:15 and 9:30 p.m. They will be shot off from the high school football field.
Muskego
The Water Bugs Ski Team Independence Day celebration is set for Tuesday, July 3, at Idle Isle Park, S6666 Hardtke Drive. The Water Bugs will open their concession stand about 1 p.m. Along about 6:30 p.m., the younger members of the ski team starting at age 6 will take to the water to put on a show. The main show will hit the skis at 7 p.m.
New Berlin
The theme for the 44th July Family Festival is "New Berlin America the Beautiful." Festivities begin Monday, July 2, at Malone Park. The main parade is at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, July 4. Fireworks follow at 10 p.m.
Waukesha (city)
Line-up for parade begins at 10 a.m. at Cutler Park, 321 Wisconsin Ave.
Children's Marching and Floating Judging at 10:15 a.m.
Bikes, Trikes, Wagons and Costumes Judging at 10:30 a.m.
Parade begins at 11 a.m. at the corner of Maple and Wisconsin Avenues (Cutler Park).
Children can participate in the parade by decorating bikes, trikes, buggies, wagons and costumes. No-preregistration required. First through third-place ribbons will be awarded.
Free ice cream for children in the parade will be distributed at Schuetze Recreation Center at the conclusion of the parade.
Fireworks begin at approximately 9:30 p.m. at the Waukesha County Expo Grounds.
