Commentary; Posted: 7/10/02

Fine-tuning will help FL celebration

Cliff Buchan

For those of us on the outside, it is easy to be a second guesser when it comes time to evaluate this communityís annual Fourth of July celebration. It is also easy to overlook all the work that the members of American Legion Post 225 and Auxiliary Unit 225 invest to make this celebration a strong community tradition.

Overall, we have to give good grades to the recently completed 78th annual salute to our countryís independence. During a time in this nationís history when there is a need for a celebration of freedom and what is right about this country, Post 225 has delivered again with its 2002 celebration.

For those who look to the American Legion as the Forest Lake reunion headquarters, the Fourth of July celebration filled the bill as it always does. This is the one time of the year when you can count on meeting old friends and making new friends.

With a mid-week holiday, the crowds were again strong for the parade and fireworks display over Forest Lake. As Forest Lake fireworks displays go, there have been few better in the many years that this night light show has taken place. There were loud cheers from the beach crowd when the grand finale lit the sky.

If there is any criticism it should probably be aimed at the parade. The goal of the Legion is to deliver a quality parade that can be enjoyed from start to finish.

While there was quality in this yearís parade, there were complaints the parade was too long, moved to slow and filled with less than inspiring units that were based more on advertising than entertaining a parade crowd.

As the parade approached three hours in length, many of the latter parade units viewed a parade route that was sparsely populated. And thatís a shame for marching units like the Forest Lake City Band that waited too long in the wings before entertaining.

It is easy to be critical, but we hope the Legion and its parade planners take the criticism to heart as it plans next yearís parade.

We would also hope that parade entrants would take more stock in the type of units they offer to the public. The parade should be viewed as a time to express patriotism and not so much for commercial exposure.

The big decision awaiting the Legion and the city of Forest Lake next year involves the site for the carnival. With more redevelopment coming downtown, it appears the days of the carnival locating in the municipal lot are soon up. The Legion was fortunate to sneak through 2002 with the carnival located in its traditional spot.

Planning needs to begin this summer on a location for next year. It is a vital part of the celebration, not only from its spectator enjoyment but in the revenue it brings the Legion to help support the celebration. If planning can begin now, there should be no surprises when the 79th annual celebration rolls around next summer.

We thank the American Legion, its many volunteers and the numerous sponsors who spent time and money to create this yearís celebration. We know your work is hard and sometimes the thanks is never heard.

Youíve done a great job and good luck for the planning of an even better celebration for 2003.

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