The 4th annual Rocky Fork Lake Fourth of July Parade, organized by the Rocky Fork Lake Business Advisory Committee, will be held Monday, July 4 at 10 a.m.
Lineup for the parade begins at 9 a.m. at Beechwood Pizza, located at 6501 Beechwood Lane, just off North Shore Drive. The parade will begin at 10 a.m. and Highland County Sheriff Donnie Barrera will lead the procession, which will end at the North Beach parking lot.
The grand marshal for this year’s parade is Rocky Fork Lake area business owner Joey McGuire of Joey’s Pizza.
Any group or organization that would like to enter the parade can pick up an registration form at any of the following locations: Buckeye Boat Repair, Rustic Cabin, Bayview Campground and Cottages and Beechwood Pizza, or you can contact John Ingersoll, parade coordinator, at [email protected] or 937-763-3959. Groups will be able to register until the parade begins. All parade entries will need to check in and/or register upon arrival under the patio of Beechwood Pizza. Registering in advance is encouraged.
As in year’s past, the top three most patriotic entrants will receive a cash prize.
Businesses, nonprofit organizations, youth groups and individuals are encouraged to participate in the parade.
Free ice cream will be available at Bayview Campground and Cottages, located at 11104 North Shore Dr., and the Rustic Cabin Restaurant, located at 10925 N. Shore Dr.
Ingersoll and several other Rocky Fork business owners created the Rocky Fork Lake Business Advisory Committee. The committee members include John Ingersoll, Tim Atkinson, Brian Cowdrey, Scott Faulconer, Pete Klein, and Roger and Sally Ruggles. Several of the committee members will judge parade entries this year.
Ingersoll organized the first Fourth of July Parade in 2019 to help promote businesses in the Rocky Fork community.
“I’m a business owner at Rocky Fork,” Ingersoll said. “The first year, I just did it on my own through the business. After that, I got thinking, ‘Boy, it would be great to have some more individuals who lived at the lake and have businesses at the lake get more involved with activities in our area and to promote the lake and show people what Rocky Fork has to offer.’
“When we have more people working towards one goal, I guess it helps a lot, whether you’re from uptown or at the lake. And with times as crazy as they are, we need to come together and celebrate as Americans, no matter where you come from or where you live. It’s a proud time for us, and we need to celebrate it.”
Ingersoll said that as president of the Rocky Fork Business Advisory Committee, “I would like to personally invite our elected county commissioners and the township trustees to come participate in this year’s parade.”
Information for this story was provided by Jamie Wheeler, executive director, Visitors Bureau of Highland County.
