… even if there were a few periods of rain!
Celebrating America’s 247th birthday meant dodging a few rain drops in Highland Falls and Fort Montgomery … or in the case of Monday evening’s Danny & The Cruisers concert and the very-well-attended Dancing Under the Stars event at Mine Dock Park (hosted by the Chamber of Commerce), it meant dodging a deluge of rain!
But, most everyone running from the rain was doing so with a smile on their face.
The events were fun. Last Saturday evening’s Whiskey Crossing concert at Memorial Park was well-attended, the canoe and bed races on Sunday delighted all (including a couple of canoe tip-overs and a bed-collision or two). That Monday evening concert honoring Highland Falls’ Kenny Conley was a nice affair. Mayor Joe D’Onofrio presented Conley with a key to the village (“Does it unlock the village safe?” Conley quipped) and the sash he would wear when leading the annual Independence Day parade down Main St. on Tuesday afternoon. On hand to celebrate Conley (who rode in a horse-drawn carriage in the parade) were quite a few members of the Highland Falls Fire Department, of which he has been a member for 60 years.
The annual Firecracker 5K went off without a hitch on the morning of the fourth. Rain was falling just prior to the arrival of the 300+ runners and walkers, but they got through the race with just some humidity to deal with.
The parade, activities at Roe Park, and fireworks also went off without a hitch, drawing residents and visitors to the community to first Main St. and then Roe Park.
It was noted by spectators that the parade was one of the longest in recent history, and featured many local children and community groups, as well as marching bands, including the West Point Band’s Hellcats. Local elected officials marched — and tossed a lot of candy — and many, many, many emergency vehicles filled the community with the sounds of their sirens.
At Roe Park in the evening, family games kept those in attendance busy, and then, as usual, the park grounds filled up for the delightful explosion of fireworks. Many residents watched from the comfort of home, as the display was visible from all over Highland Falls.
