An Event I Look Forward To Every Year

Originally Written Between 2017-2020                       

It’s coming up fairly soon.  Of course, we have to get winter out of the way, first.  It’s April 9^th and I’m not really sure if that will happen this year!  But, I have to be an optimist and believe….. spring will come soon….. and it will be followed by summer.

 

And summer is when my favorite event happens.  Many people think that the summer is half over by the time this event happens.  The Date?  Well, the 4^th of July, of course.

 

So, why is the 4^th of July the one event I look forward to every year?  Well, it all started when I was a mere child.  As you probably all know by now, I grew up in Forest Lake, Minnesota.  And just like Anoka is considered the Halloween Capital of the world, Forest Lake – I was told by my parents –produced the best 4^th of July celebration in the world!  The “best day ever” started with all the townspeople lining both sides of main street at 9:00 in the morning to view the 10:00 parade that would last three hours.  Parades featured many marching bands, clowns, and floats with queens and princesses.  And, of course, bringing up the rear – a bunch of horses.

 

After the parade, young and old adults would rush over to the Legion or to the VFW or other bars and start celebrating.  Teenagers and families with children always headed to the carnival that was set up alongside the lake – right off of Main Street.  And from 1955 through 1969, my folks would open up the roller rink that was right across the street from the carnival.  One could skate from Noon until 10:30 at night for 25 cents.  If, after a couple of hours of skating, one wanted to get a break and go to the carnival or go out to eat or whatever, my mom would stamp your hand which meant you could go back after a while and continue to skate.  

 

At 10:00 at night, the fireworks would start.  Beautiful, bright, and exciting fireworks.  That – and, of course, the mosquitos – made for a wonderful ending to the 4^th of July.  And – you may recall from my past writings – the 4^thof July 1959 was especially important and memorable for me.  I received my first kiss on the carnival’s airplane ride from Mike L’Allier – the love of my life until a week later when he started going steady with Joan Bond.

 

Enter Norm.  I started dating Norm the end of May 1964.  On that 4^th of July, I fully expected Norm to go to the three-hour parade.  Then, we would spend a lovely afternoon roller skating (even though Norm didn’t know how to skate), riding the carnival rides, eating candy floss, caramel corn, and proto pups, and cuddling by the lake watching the fireworks.  My idea of the perfect 4^th of July!

 

But, that was not to be.  Norm’s idea of a perfect 4^th of July was joining his entire family, in-laws, nieces and nephews, and cousins at the home of his sister, Catherine, her husband, Jack and their three children in North St. Paul.  This 4^th of July McGraw Yearly Reunion tradition started when Catherine and Jack were married and – as a side note – is continuing this year for the 62^nd time – with Catherine’s daughter taking over the hosting responsibilities.  Some years – we had over 75 McGraw’s spend the afternoon eating, drinking, playing, and swimming and ending the day watching the fireworks.

 

That first 4^th of July with Norm was a compromise.  We went to the famous parade in Forest Lake in the morning and then drove to North St. Paul where I met all of Norm’s siblings and their families and Norm’s father for the first time.  I remember the warm welcome I received from everyone – especially his sisters.  Little did we know that “bringing a girlfriend or boyfriend to the 4^th festivities” would become a tradition.  It is well known within our families that one does not bring just “any one” to the McGraw picnic – one has to be truly “4^th of July-worthy” to attend our annual gathering.

 

There is no reason to attend the Forest Lake 4^th of July celebration anymore.  Both of my parents and my brother are gone and my sister lives in Florida.   We did attend our nation’s bicentennial in 1976 and also the year my mom and dad were honorary Grand Marshals of the parade.  After my dad died, we always went to the parade with my mom until she passed.  But, we spent the afternoon with the McGraw’s!

 

After my mom died (4 years after dad), my brother, sister, and I donated a bench that would be placed in the city park.  The placement would be just a few feet from where the original Skateland building was built.  We had a plaque placed near the bench that said, “Skateland – our home away from home.”

 

Celebrating the 4^th of July with family – either in Forest Lake as a child or North St. Paul as an adult is a fun tradition that I intend to continue for – hopefully – many years to come.  Happy 4^th, every one!