Sioux Falls looking for July 4 parade entries
Free lunch to be served following 5k, parade in downtown
Sioux Falls will offer a free hotdog lunch to celebrate Independence Day on July 4, part of an annual celebration of the nation’s founding.
The all-beef hotdogs from Sunshine and Tony’s Catering come with chips and water to the first 3,000 people who attend the downtown luncheon at the Levitt Shell on 6th Street and Phillips Avenue. The Sioux Falls Municipal Band and Mogen’s Heroes will provide music during the picnic.
The lunch follows a 5k run-walk that starts at Fawick Park. While advance registration has closed for the event, walk-in registrations will still be accepted when registration starts at 7:30 a.m., said Jackie Nelson, the recreation manager for Sioux Falls Parks & Recreation. The 5k takes place along the Big Sioux River.
The July 4th parade from 13th Street along Phillips Avenue starts at 10 a.m. Registration to enter the parade closes today at 5 p.m. Nelson said the city has about 35 entries. Ideally, there would be about 50 entries.
“We are looking for more and more people to be a part of it,” Nelson said.
Nelson spoke to reporters Wednesday about the Independence Day planning. She had the task of outlining the fun activities taking place. Steve Fessler, a division chief with Sioux Falls Fire Rescue and Officer Sam Clemens with the Sioux Falls Police Department, got to talk about the other part of July 4 that is more controversial: fireworks.
While legal to purchase in South Dakota, a city ordinance bans the use of any fireworks that explode or shoot projectiles.
“The easy way to say it: If it makes noise or moves, it’s prohibited,” Clemens said. That limits legal fireworks to smoke bombs, sparklers and small fountains.
Police officers can issue a citation with a fine of $107.50, but Clemens said few are issued even though the department receives about 300 to 600 complaints a year, which usually peak on July 4. In order to write a ticket, an officer must actually witness lighting fireworks, but that rarely happens.
Fessler suggested that adults keep an eye on children and pets when using fireworks, and he suggested that people attend a professional show. Used fireworks should be soaked in a bucket of water before they are thrown away.
In past years, grass fires were a danger with fireworks. Fessler didn’t expect that to be a problem this year – an upside to recent heavy rains.
“With the recent moisture, we are not feeling that’s going to be a big issue this year,” he said.
