Traditional Fourth of July celebration continues

This year marks the 18th year of what has become an important family-friendly Havre event — the Fourth of July celebration at Pepin Park.

“Originally it started out as a family gathering … the Woodwicks,” celebration chair Sherri Simonson said, adding that it has become a kind-of tradition in the Havre community.

The two Woodwick brothers ran the event for many years, Simonson said, and one brother, Allen “Woody” Woodwick still takes care of the music part of the event, but Vince Woodwick, who took care of the food and kids’ events, died in early 2017.

Simonson, who has been chair for three years, said that she helped Vince Woodwick chair before his death and has done it by herself since then.

This year will also mark Simonson’s last year as chair since her family will be moving away from Havre.

The celebration starts at noon with a flag ceremony performed by local Scout members, she said, and includes food, music, raffles, games and activities for children, including facepainting and balloon animals made and sold by Cory Pierson, who donates 100 percent of the profits he makes from the animals back to the celebration.

A number of bands will be playing and Rachel Dean will be singing the National Anthem, Simonson said.

The food served at the celebration, which is cooked by the Havre Lions Club, will be hamburgers, hot dogs, baked beans, watermelon, potato chips and water, Samson said. In previous years they have provided about 1,000 servings, she added.

“We have ordered 1,200 burgers and 250 hotdogs,” Simonson said, adding that Vince Woodwick used to work with the railroad and set up getting BNSF’s various shops, such as the diesel shop, organize getting the meat for the celebration — a tradition that continues.

The Fourth of July celebration almost pays for itself, she said, except for the meat, so free-will donation jars will be set out and any extra money made will go to the 2019 Fourth of July celebration.

Another way the celebration raises funds are the raffles, Simonson said. Raffle items are donated and other items are bought using funds from the year before.

Food will be served until 2:30 p.m. and the music will end about 4 p.m.

“It has grown to be a great part of the Fourth of July,” Simonson said. “It should be a fun event.”

“We ask that people bring their own chairs … and find a nice shady spot,” she said.

She is also hoping to be able to “pass the torch” to the people who will be the new chairs for next year’s event, Simonson added.

Simonson said she is still looking for volunteers to set up, serve food and clean up at the event, as well as people to cut up the watermelon July 3.

People who would like to volunteer can call Simonson at 399-5672.