1968 8mm color footage of the Oscoda, Michigan 4th of July parade
Andrew Norton
Enjoy this old 8mm footage of the 1968 Oscoda, Michigan 4th of July parade.
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Filtering by Tag: 4th-of-july
Constantine Fireworks on the 4th
Andrew Norton
There's nothing quite like a small town celebration on the 4th of July. A parade where you wave at the participants, not just because they are waving but because you know them. Cookouts with families and kids staying up so late they are almost asleep by the time the fireworks begin.
As dusk begins to gather you slather up the kids with bug spray, grab some blankets, and stake out your favorite spot for a simple, yet beautiful, show. This year, there was added beauty due to a nearly full moon. As the fireworks show continued, the smoke from the fireworks drifted in front of the moon and gave it a reddish hue. See an example of the red moon.
I'll be putting up pictures from the parade later in the week, but here are the rest of the 4th of July photos.
Find local fireworks displays in Michigan
Andrew Norton
Over the weekend while working outside my son and I heard a constant barrage of rumbles and loud bangs from local pyrotechnicians perfecting their craft for the 4th of July. Yes, it's that time of the year again when local dogs run for cover under the porch or in their doghouse and don't emerge until the 4th of July weekend is over. *Important Legal Disclaimer*
Now remember, any firework that explodes or shoots up in the air (other than sparks shooting in the air) is illegal in Michigan so I do not recommend purchasing anything like that for use in Michigan.
*Legal Disclaimer Over*
It is safest to leave it up to the experts and attend a local fireworks display. Plus, other than the donation bucket that makes its way around the crowd - they're a lot cheaper than buying your own meager display.
To find nearly any display of fireworks this 4th of July head on over to MichiganFireworks.com. You can search by date or city. Site creator Meg Geddes has 460 displays listed as of this blog post.
The Things They Carried
Andrew Norton
This photo is from last year's 4th of July Parade in Constantine, Michigan. With yesterday being Memorial Day and thinking of parades and our soldiers both past and present I thought I would share this photo.
This photo (and blog post) is titled 'The Things They Carried' as that is what popped in my head when I saw this mother/soldier marching in the parade. I have read Tim O'Brien's "The Things They Carried" which deals with the mental and emotional aspects of war and immediately thought that this photo illustrates just that both metaphorically and physically.
She is surrounded by the things she carried.
God Bless our Veterans and current service men and women. Thank you for all that you do.
Read MoreTips for Setting up a Fireworks Display
Andrew Norton
From safety to aesthetics, www.wikihow.com has all of the tips for having a safe and fun fireworks show for the 4th of July. Remember that in Michigan it is illegal to shoot off fireworks that explode, spin or leave the ground. If you want to see showers with a myriad of colors launching into the deep summer twilight you really should find a local town that is hosting a fireworks display. Leave the big time pyrotechnics to the experts and have a safe 4th. Here are a couple of my favorite tips at www.wikihow.com for fireworks displays -
- Never try to make you're own fireworks.
- Never leave fireworks inside you're pocket.
- Things you will need in addition to water and fireworks - a smart head
To search for a fireworks display in your neck of the woods in Michigan check out www.MichiganFireworks.com. I was really impressed with the extent of the listings they had. You can search by Date and City or you can manually view the 461 listings they currently have available. Meg Geddes is the gal behind the website and devoted a ton of time to put these excellent listings together.