Publish Date: Thursday July 02, 2009
|
|
View photo/Mike SpenceWorkers put the finishing touches on street lights on Civic Center Drive. The project is a joint effort between the metro district and San Isabel Electric Association. SIEA provided the lights and the metro district paid for the transformer and installation, around $6,000. The light posts will provided much-needed electric outlets for vendors booths during local events, including the upcoming Fourth of July festivities. The lights will be put on a timer to conserve electricity and SIEA is installing special LED lights that also help conserve electricity.
|
The tough economic conditions forced Fourth of July Celebrations to be curtailed or cut back at locations across Colorado. But this year's July 4 festivities in Pueblo West promise to be bigger than ever.
Colorado State University-Pueblo canceled its annual Fourth of July Celebration and the fireworks display at Memorial Park in Colorado Springs isn't going to happen. Both were victims of the poor economic conditions.
Yet, in Pueblo West, there will be a series of events, beginning with a pancake breakfast, followed by a fun run, a wet parade, an afternoon filled with performances, activities for kids and vendors, climaxed by a concert and a fireworks show.
"It wasn't easy to get this done," said Pueblo West Chamber of Commerce President Chad Heberly. "We've had to work really hard this year."
The results have been more than impressive. The chamber's shoe-leather effort netted an additional 20 vendors this year.
"If you come to the displays (after the parade) you'd better be hungry," Heberly said. "We've got any number of booths that will be offering food items."
The parade will get over between 11 a.m. and noon. The festivities will continue until the last song is played at midnight.
This year, those in attendance will benefit from street lights installed on Civic Center Drive. The lights, installed in a joint effort between the metro district and San Isabel Electric Association, provide lights for spectators and power for vendors, and promise to make the evening even more fun.
Heberly is especially proud of the effort put forth by the chamber members who have helped organize the celebration.
"The whole point of this event is to promote Pueblo West and Pueblo West businesses," Heberly said. "We will have people coming from Pueblo and other areas. They will get a taste of life in Pueblo West. Hopefully, that will be a big boost to the community." Many of the booths are locally owned, which is a big plus, Heberly said.
"In a lot of places, the vendors come from out of town and when they leave, they take their local dollars with them," Heberly said. "Here, a lot of those dollars will stay in Pueblo West." Heberly praised the metro district for its help in organizing the parade and helping with the fire works display.
"We wouldn't be having the fire works this year if Loaf 'n Jug hadn't stepped forward to sponsor it," Heberly said.
San Isabel Electric also made a donation. The event has been supported by the local service clubs, the Lions and the Pueblo West Rotary Club, the local distributors of Budweiser and Coca-Cola. Biff Ogburn and David Knuth grew up together in Pueblo West after their families were among the first to move here in 1970.
The two men will reunite once again on July 4 to serve as grand marshals of the annual Pueblo West Fourth of July Parade.
Activities will celebrate two birthdays - the U.S. birthday of July 4, 1776, and Pueblo West's birthday (Sept. 19, 1969).
While Pueblo West won't turn 40 until the fall, the annual parade has become such a tradition in the area that it only seemed fitting to recognize the upcoming anniversary during the festivities.
Ogburn and Knuth will ride in the horse and buggy that traditionally carries the parade's grand marshall. And, no, they won't have to wear raincoats to protect them from the expected onslaught of water along the way.
The color guard, grand marshall float, followed by the sheriff's car are part of the "dry" section of the parade.
Everything that follows the sheriff's vehicle will be part of the wet parade, which was a Pueblo West tradition until it was banned three or four years ago.
The wet portion of the parade returned last year and was a resounding success. However, no water balloons are allowed and the crowds will be patrolled for violators.
The parade will start at the corner of Purcell and Joe Martinez boulevards and end near Civic Center Park.
The parade begins at 10 a.m., but the celebration begins long before that.
The Pueblo West Lions Club will host their annual pancake breakfast at Vectra Bank, beginning at 7 a.m. Proceeds from the breakfast support several Lions programs including KidSight, Flats for Flats for First Graders, Colorado Lions Camp and the Eye Glass Recycling program. Cost is $5 for adults and $3 for children under 12.
More than a dozen vendors will have booths on Civic Center Drive for activities in the area following the parade. A number of attractions will be available, including the Pueblo Animal Shelter's "Critter Cruiser," helicopter rides. There will be booths by a number of businesses, a Ferris wheel, carnival games, a dunk tank, pony rides and inflatable bouncy toys.
In the evening a concert and street dance is set to begin at 5 p.m. and continue until midnight, featuring the band "Hi Fidelity." The band will take a break at 9:30 p.m. for the annual Pueblo West Fireworks Show. The concert and dance will resume following the fireworks show.
JULY 4 FESTIVITIES
Schedule of events