If you haven’t circled July 3 and 4 on your calendar for CarmelFest 2013, the city’s 25th celebration of our nation’s independence, we urge you to do so now.
Under the direction of Chairman Jeff Worrell and his legions of dedicated volunteers, the Carmel Rotary Club event is as Americana as it gets. The Greatest Festival in Indiana, celebrating Silver Jubilation this edition, kicks off at 4 p.m. on July 3, with live music, food vendors, kids’ activities and much more. The first day culminates with, among other offerings, a three-hour concert by The Wright Brothers, whose members include Carmel residents Tim Wright and John McDowell. On July 4, the always-packed St.Vincent Health Fourth of July Parade at CarmelFest rolls at 10:30 a.m. Stake your viewing spot early, as this spectacle is an annual crowd pleaser. This year’s parade grand marshals are CarmelFest founders Dottie Hancock, formerly a Carmel mayor, and Nancy Blondin, the former leader of the Carmel Clay Chamber of Commerce. It’s a fitting honor for these leading ladies.
After the parade, move along to Civic Square, where the festival resumes at noon with a wide variety of entertainment and activities. The event culminates in grand style with a stirring performance of patriotic music at 8:30 p.m. by the Carmel Symphony Orchestra and the best fireworks show around at 9:45 p.m. About those fireworks: You might recall Worrell and everyone’s favorite volunteer, Jack Badger, have been busy raising funds to finance the effort through the sale of Spark Buttons, which are for sale at the Carmel Farmers Market and on www.carmelfest.net. Lighted buttons are $6, regular buttons $3. We encourage you to buy, and when they paint the sky you may think to yourself, Hey, I helped to pay for that one! You may learn more about CarmelFest 2013 in next week’s similarly titled special section in Current.
Attend, please. It’s good for you.