Ramona 4th of July celebration goes Hawaiian
Ramona's 4th of July festivities begin at 4 p.m. Monday when old and new tractors are displayed on Main Street for judging and viewing.
Jeannie Weber, tractor show organizer, has had the trophies on display for several weeks in hopes of inspiring people to bring tractors to the event.
"The judges will be awarding trophies for best restored and unrestored," said Weber, "as well as best decorated, judge's favorite, people's choice, and the rattiest of show, but still running."
Awards will be given at 6:30 p.m., so tractors also can be in the parade.
A 3-on-3 basketball competition will begin at 3:30 p.m. in the city park on 4th Street. Teams can register at 3 p.m. in the park.
Each team of three will pay $12 to enter the competition and there is 100 percent pay back — all money will be given back to players as prizes.
Competitions will be held in three levels: fifth through eighth grades, high school age (grades just completed), and adults. First, second, and third prizes will be awarded for each level of competition.
John Antoszyk is coordinating the competition.
If food is your idea of celebrating, Connie's Cook Shack will be open from 4 to 9 p.m. on Main Street. They sell everything from burgers to snow cones.
Ramona Senior Center will be offering ice cream, cake, lemonade, and iced tea at the center at 5:30 p.m. when they also begin the annual cakewalk.
The Ramona parade begins at 7 p.m., rolling south on Main Street.
Parade registration begins at 6 p.m. in the city park, where participants can line up in the shade. There is no fee to be in the parade and Ramona's known for great prizes, beginning with $50 for first place in floats.
"The theme for the 2005 parade is Hawaii '05, a pun harking back to the television show Hawaii 5-0," explained parade organizer, Jessica Gilbert.
"We've added two new prize categories for the parade this year — one for service vehicles like fire department trucks and ambulances, and a Town Spirit award for the best float (defined as the back of a truck or truck/trailer combo) from a neighboring town," said Gilbert. "We figured offering a prize might encourage even the service vehicles to follow the theme and add sparkle to our town parade — even if it's just wearing a Hawaiian shirt. The Town Spirit award was added because small towns have to band together to help each other make a 'splash' in the puddle," said Gilbert. "We promised every town that participates that Ramona would reciprocate at one of their events."
Get out Hawaiian shirts, make a surfboard out of cardboard, play some Beach Boys' music, jump in the back of a truck or motorcycle. Everyone is welcome and appreciated at the Ramona parade!
Prize categories are floats (truck bed or trailer), town spirit floats, single entry (bike, motorcycle, car, tractor, wagon, skates, stilts, on foot, on horseback, or with animals), kids (children 12 and under), entertainment (music, dancing, marching), service vehicles (ambulance, fire truck, etc.).
Bob and the Boys of Marion will entertain following the parade until fireworks begins.
Games on Main Street for kids and adults begin at 7:30 p.m., sponsored by volunteers from the Ramona Fire Department.
Fireworks culminate the 4th of July celebration in Ramona.
"This will be the largest display of fireworks ever," says Connie Smith of DC Trucking, Ramona, and owner of Freedom's Field where the fireworks display takes place each year.
Smith and her husband, Dan, along with Tampa State Bank, sponsor the grand finale to Ramona's 4th of July.
Fourth of July in Ramona is sponsored by the Ramona Festivities Committee and area businesses who contribute to this nostalgic and patriotic event.
