FOURTH OF JULY CONCERT & CELEBRATION - Special Event

Plans are underway for the twelfth annual all-volunteer Fourth of July celebration in Lions Wayside Park. The FREE event will take place from 12:30-2:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 4.

Providing the music will be the Pleasanton Community Concert Band, under the direction of Bob Williams. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of the band, which played its first concert in the Lions Wayside Park bandstand. Vocalist Ward Belding, as “Uncle Sam,” will be featured. Pleasanton Poet Laureate Deborah Grossman has composed an original poem for the occasion, entitled “Boots on First.” Special guest will be award-winning speaker Ann Collins, whose presentation is entitled “Cherish Your Heritage.” Master of ceremonies is Ken McDonald.

Tribute will be paid to military personnel, past and present. The color guard will be provided by American Legion Post #238 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6298. This is the 100th anniversary of the founding of Boy Scouts, and members of Troop #908 will be assisting with set-up and clean-up as part of their community service. City of Pleasanton staff members also assisted with set-up.

Recipients of the 2010 Ed Kinney Community Patriots Award will be introduced. They are: Brad Hirst, Dave Wright, and Rosiland Wright.

Pleasanton’s Fourth of July event, “Celebrating Freedom and its Evolution since the Revolution,” was founded by W. Ron Sutton. “Fourth of July should be more than barbecues and fireworks,” explained Sutton. “I would like for everyone to leave Lions Wayside Park understanding and appreciating our freedom just a little more.”

Audience members are asked to bring either lawn chairs or blankets, and they are encouraged to wear red, white, and blue. Some shade canopies will be provided through a grant from Wal-Mart. Families may dine in or get take-out from downtown, bring their own picnic lunches or purchase “A Dog & a Drink for a Dollar,” the popular hot dog lunch prepared by the Lions Club. Lions also provide hand-held flags on a first-come, first-served basis. Last year, more than 1,000 people attended.

Event sponsor is Heritage Bank of Commerce. Music sponsor is ACCUSPLIT, makers of pedometers and stopwatches. Food sponsor are Pleasanton Lions clubs and Raley’s Market. Sponsor of the Ed Kinney Community Patriot Award is Re/Max Accord.

Lions Wayside Park is located at the corner of First and Neal streets in Pleasanton.

PLEASE:

-NO ROCKS OR PLASTIC TARPS ON THE LAWN!

-NO BLANKETS OR CHAIRS ON THE LAWN BEFORE CONCERT DATE

Location: Lions Wayside Park (corner of First & Neals Streets)

Date: July 4, 2010 to July 4, 2010

Time: 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM

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