Hometown Fourth highlights busy July 4th weekend

Jun. 29—Live music, a parade, entertainment and fireworks will highlight Oneonta's Hometown Fourth of July Festival on Monday.

The festival will begin with a parade along Main Street at 1 p.m. It is followed by entertainment in Neahwa Park.

Co-organizer David Hayes said this year's parade and festival will be "more robust" than last year. He said there are more groups marching in the parade than last year. The parade will line up on Market Street near the Foothills Performing Arts Center beginning at 12:15 p.m.

Following the parade, there will be entertainment on the main stage and basketball court from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m.

"We have two to three headlining bands," co-organizer Carol Mandigo said. She said the organizing committee received New York State council of the Arts grants and were able to book the headliners early this year.

The festival is a partnership between Hill City Celebrations, which was formerly called First Night Oneonta, and the Leatherstocking Education on Alcoholism/Addictions Foundation, Mandigo said. This year's event is dedicated to David and Lois Brenner, a media release said.

She said the organization's name was changed to Hill City Celebrations because it "runs more than just the New Year's Eve event."

She said LEAF Inc. became a partner because the festival is an alcohol- and drug-free event and LEAF sees it as a prevention strategy.

Mandigo said Five Star Subaru is once again the sponsor of the evening's fireworks and the free entrance to the baseball game. She said the company doubled the amount spent on last year's fireworks. "It's a tremendous gift to the community," she said.

She said one of her favorite parts about the Hometown Fourth is watching people watch the fireworks. Another is seeing the whole community come together to have fun.

Hayes agreed. He said it's a "low stress, carefree day," for neighbors and visitors alike to "meet and speak with each other."

He said the event draws "several thousand people" to Neahwa Park from five surrounding counties.

"It's a lot of fun and it's free," he said.

The schedule on the main stage is as follows: Pam West singing children's songs at 2 p.m.; DrumQuest at 2:45 p.m.; Mopar Cams at 3:15 p.m.; Greenway Trail Ribbon Cutting with DrumQuest at 4 p.m.; Yolanda Bush at 4:30 p.m.; Remarks by: Julie Dostal Executive Director of LEAF, Sean Lewis President/CEO of Otsego County Chamber of Commerce, Doug Brenner Retired Oneonta Chief Police, Senator Peter Oberacker, at 5:15 p.m.; Alex Torres and his Latino Orchestra at 6 p.m.; remarks by Gary Herzig former mayor of Oneonta, Alberto Cardelle SUNY Oneonta president, Mayor Mark Drnek of Oneonta at 7:30 p.m.; Driftwood at 8:15 p.m.; fireworks and count down by Mandigo and Brenner at 9:45 p.m.; and Hanzolo and Cosmic Karma at 10:15 p.m.

Harmony Martial Arts, Mike the Juggler, Elite Dance Company, Joe Janicki Bike Show, The Good Life Band and Cosmic Karma Fire will perform throughout the afternoon on the basketball court.

In addition to Oneonta's festivities, several other communities have fireworks and festivals planned for this weekend.

June 30-July 4

The Margaretville Fire Department's annual field days, held at Margaretville Village Park behind Freshtown supermarket, includes fireworks Saturday and Monday nights.

July 1

Delhi will have fireworks Friday night at dusk as part of its Fair on the Square celebration.

Fireworks will be launched at dusk from Fairy Spring Park, and can be watched from Lake Front Park or the Otesaga Hotel, in Cooperstown. There will also be a performance by the Cooperstown Community Band at Lakefront Park, in Cooperstown.

July 1-3

The East Branch Fire Department will hold its annual Firemen's Field Days July 1, 2, and 3, at Humble Park, O&W Road in East Branch. It will begin at 4 p.m. Friday and run until 11 p.m. and will start at noon on Saturday and Sunday and last until 11 p.m. Highlights include a softball tournament and a firefighters parade at 6 p.m. Saturday. There will be food, live music, bounce houses, flea market and games. There will be a fireworks display on Saturday and Sunday nights.

July 3

The Canadarago Lake Recreation Committee and Susan March will have a fireworks display over the lake at dark.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown will celebrate Independence Day and Hall of Fame member Lou Gherig, who gave his farewell speech on July 4, 1939. The day will include a plaque gallery tour at 10:30 a.m., artifact spotlight at 11:30 a.m., a guided tour about Gherig at 1:30 p.m. and a trivia challenge at 3 p.m.

Sharon Spring's Fourth of July parade will begin at 10 a.m. Monday. The parade will begin at Dairyland on Route 20; proceed west on Highway 20 to Chestnut Street and proceed to the Athletic Field off of Chestnut Street. Following the parade, a food truck will be available on the front lawn of Sharon Springs Central School.

Springfield's July 4th parade will begin at 11 a.m. Monday. The theme of this year's parade is "Hometown 4th of July — Enduring Traditions" and is part of the town's 225th anniversary celebration. Debra Ann and Jonathan Miller have been chosen as grand marshals. Following the parade, there will be a chicken barbecue, live music, quilt show, historical displays and 4-H animals.

On the evening of the fourth, a free concert by The Council Rock Band will take place at Glimmerglass State Park starting at 7:30 p.m., to be followed by a display of fireworks at dusk.

The Greater Oneonta Historical Society will give tours of the historic red caboose in Neahwa Park from 2 to 6 p.m. on Monday, July 4. Bob Brzozowski and Banu Gaur will tell visitors about the story of the Caboose and its importance in U.S. labor and railroad history.

Fireworks over the Fairgrounds featuring New York Hot Farm Pulling Series will begin at 4 p.m. at the Chenango County Fairgrounds at East Main Street in Norwich. Tickets are $15 and include the tractor pull, live music by Jason Wicks and Sundown and fireworks at dusk. Food will also be available.

Fireworks over Paddleford Park at 55 Chapel Street in Sherburne will begin at dusk.

Vicky Klukkert, staff writer, can be reached at vklukkert@thedailystar.com or 607-441-7221.