ARLINGTON — Arlington’s Fourth of July began with a dreary downpour that Monday morning, but cleared off enough to draw the usual packed crowds for its parades down Olympic Avenue that afternoon.
First place in the costume category of the Kiddies Parade went to a trio of Statues of Liberty, as Scout, Sailor and Finleigh Rowles, all younger than 6, came armed with torches made by their grandma.
Their mom, Kristin, credited Finleigh with coming up with the idea. They’d entered last year as sailors in sparkly suits.
Hailey Nelson, 4, took second in Costumes, drawing on her three years of pageant experience to dress up as “Little Miss America.”
“She’s been in pageants since she could walk,” said Hailey’s mom, Amberlyn Montanez. “Next Sunday, she’s headed off to a national competition in Florida.”
Although Emily Grisham, now 2, won first place in the patriotic category of last year’s Kiddies Parade for dressing up as Rosie the Riveter, she only scored a participation ribbon this year for her costume as Amelia Earhart, complete with airplane.
“We’re staying with a theme of strong, historic women,” said Emily’s mom, Natalie, who credited dad Jerry with building the plane in a couple of weeks.
City natural resources manager Bill Blake went with appropriately nature-themed costumes for his kids, Sophia and Bill Jr., by dressing them as butterflies.
“Billy likes capturing and identifying all different kinds of bugs,” said Blake, who made his kids’ wings out of backpack harnesses and fabric.
First place in the Wheels category went to the Broadbent family for “Rockets Untamed,” which used tree branches to simulate rockets blasting off.
As for the Grand Parade, Jennifer Egger of Cascade Valley Hospital reported that there were at least 60 entries, with a number of “new businesses and new old cars.”
Arlington’s veterans were collectively named the Grand Marshals, out of consideration for the advancing age of the World War II and Korean War veterans, who were joined by younger vets.
“It’s the first time in maybe eight years that I can recall us having rain,” Egger said. “But the people of Arlington are tough. We turn out for community events, come rain or shine.”
Indeed, not only was this community spirit underscored by the debut of an America’s Best Communities entry, featuring city and school officials from Arlington and Darrington, but the events were photographed and filmed for the ABC competition, to demonstrate local residents’ investment in their towns.
The parade marked the return of familiar favorites, including the Mission Pipe Band, that’s made the trek from Canada to march in every Arlington Fourth since the event started in 1987, but also emcee Jim Ferrier, who marked his 25th and final year of announcing.
“It’s been pretty emotional,” Ferrier said. “It’s been a big part of my life for a quarter-century. It’s like losing a friend.”
Nonetheless, with a grandchild on the way, Ferrier and his wife wanted to have future Fourths free to visit family.
Ferrier recalled previous parades having nearly twice as many entries, and noted that this year marked the first time in about a decade that he’d seen a logging truck in the parade, a stark contrast from when as many as 20 could be expected.
“This parade is still a great deal for what you pay to see it,” he quipped.
Over at Haller Park, Becky Foster crooned smooth standards while Rotarians waded into the Stillaguamish River to catch rubber ducks for the 28th Annual Great Stilly Duck Dash.
Terri Kyle of Indiana won the first place of $5,000, while prizes of $1,000 each went to Larry Bean, Sharon Brodie, Jean Doherty, Tracy Hambarger and Thyson Kleinman. The remaining prizes of $100 each went to Brandi Bergley, Carolyn Erickson, Alan Hjort, Jerry Hook, Ed Kerschner, Bruce Lisser, Bill McDonald, Austin Suit and Heidi Timmerman, with another winner donating their prize to the Rotary’s Splash Park.
Kyle is the mother of a hygienist at Eagle Family Dental, and was sold her ticket by one of the dentists there.
Dave Duskin, gambling manager for the Duck Dash, released an unofficial estimate that 16,669 tickets were sold, yielding $69,065.
By the time the Duck Dash had wrapped up, it was barely minutes before the scheduled 10 p.m. start of the fireworks show at Quake Field. However, that show was delayed for almost an hour because it wasn’t dark enough, officials said.
