Celebrate Our 250th July 4th in Palmer
Contributed by Doug Ferguson
Here’s your chance to experience a unique celebration of our 250th July 4th in the Mat-Su Valley. Here in Palmer at St. John’s Lutheran Church, a group has been celebrating the 4th of July history here for the past several years. For this special occasion, they have planned a very special and unique event to be held outdoors in downtown Palmer.
There are many special events planned. An actual field black powder cannon will be fired several times during the program. Many participants will be dressed in colonial outfits to create a historic atmosphere, along with the historic reading of the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights and the performance of historic music of the founding period. Several special stories about famous people of the period that many have never heard will be told, along with other interesting stories now often forgotten.
The celebration is planned for 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the green adjacent to St. John’s Lutheran Church, in plenty of time to get back from the 4th of July parade in Wasilla.
If you wish to celebrate and learn more about the unique aspects of the founding of our special American culture, plan to attend this rededication of the Declaration of Independence event.
Parking areas will be designated but are limited, so either come early or plan for a longer walk. Hot dogs, sausages, all-American chips and bottled water will be available. Bring a blanket for the lawn and a folding chair for each person. There will be a restroom nearby if needed. All dogs must be leashed, and owners are responsible for waste pickup.
Hope to see you at this once-in-a-lifetime historic event.
Doug Ferguson is a retired engineer who moved to Alaska in 2017 to be near family and has had a lifelong interest in science, gardening and, of course, history.