Onaway hosts fireworks, Fourth of July parade

by Peter Jakey-Managing Editor

Independence Day means fireworks, barbecues, beaches, picnics and other Fourth of July events that make this summer holiday a favorite among Americans.

TOM MORAN leans against a section of his annual Fourth of July parade entry. Work started earlier this year and remains under wraps until Friday. It could set a Guinness World Book Record. The parade starts at noon. (Photo by Peter Jakey)

Onaway will be putting on its Uncle Sam hat to welcome visitors during a celebration known as the “Best Fourth in the North.”

The city’s Downtown Development Authority is coordinating the events in the absence of a chamber of commerce this year.

The parade and fireworks remain major attractions of the celebration. The theme is “Onaway pride.” “What makes you proud to call this community home?” said city manager Joe Hefele.

Staples of the Fourth celebration will continue such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5857 chicken barbecue and the Onaway Methodist Church’s pie and ice cream social. St. Paul Catholic Church is hosting a giant salad bar. All start at 11 a.m.

“The chamber of commerce had things it organized, but in essence, a lot of churches and service organizations also have their things, and that’s what makes the Fourth what it is,” said Hefele.

New this year, the Dancing Hippopotamus invades the lawn of the historic courthouse for three days and Hefele said there should be more vendors than ever before. He said it could be as many as 60.

The arts and crafts show had been held at the Bearinger Township Hall before the decision to move the event to Onaway was made. That starts at 10 a.m. each day and is being sponsored by the Onaway Historical Society.

Kiddie games start the schedule of events Friday at 10 a.m., with the Kiddie parade to follow an hour later.

The grand parade begins at noon with grand marshals Lewis Robinson and Steve Porter. Robinson is the retiring school resources officer, while Porter is a retired detective. Both worked as members of the Onaway Police Department before taking jobs with the Presque Isle County Sheriff’s Department.

Moran Iron Works founder Tom Moran has another big surprise up his sleeve that will be unveiled during the parade.

“For us, it’s all about Onaway pride and history,” said Moran. He said there is a tremendous amount of steel involved.

“It started out as pipe and then it was formed into an oval,” said Moran. “It weighs more than 10 tons and is 30-feet in diameter, and it is the biggest one in the world.”

He also added that it is something that everyone can identify with.

In previous years, Moran has produced larger-than-life busts of George Washington, Gerald Ford, a bald eagle, and Lady Liberty, to name a few.

The recently crowned Miss Onaway Rachel Nave and her court will ride and do their best queen waves along the parade route.

Not on the schedule of events, Mariah Moore, who presented an anti-bullying prog

ram in 2011 at the school, will be performing prior to the parade. She holds 14 world titles and just as many national titles in martial arts.

The firemen will have their water fight after the parade.

Additionally, the Seventh Day Adventist Church is conducting a health expo and the Onaway Baptist Chapel will be showing family films next to the post office from 5 to 9 p.m.

The volunteer firefighters will shoot off the fireworks from Horrocks’ field north of Onaway along M-211.For those who want to see more fireworks, Rogers City and Presque Isle Harbor have shows on Saturday, again at dusk.