Perfect weather graced Perry on Independence Day and from the morning parade to the evening fireworks, local and area residents clearly enjoyed themselves.
ThePerryNews.com was pleased to be a part of the parade and to share with you nearly 200 photographs taken throughout the day. Our entry was a 1951 Oldsmobile, owned and driven by Mike Caufield, and we enjoyed seeing many friends and all the smiling faces along the parade route.
The only regret we had? It turns out three big buckets of candy were not quite enough!
Jim Caufield, Jeff Webster and Mark Summerson had their cameras out and about all day long, both in the parade and along the parade route, at Pattee Park and just about anywhere fun was to be found.
These final few photographs span the day, from the parade lineup at 9:30 a.m. to the Carol Montag concert and ice cream social at the United Methodist Church to the 10 p.m. fireworks at Pattee Park.
About 75 people attended the Perry Fine Arts 41st annual Independence Day musical extravaganza and ice cream social, where Iowa native Montag performed a variety of her best known songs. Born and raised in Ames and currently living in Cedar Rapids, she sang at the 2010 World Food Prize Ceremony.
Montage sang some classic folk tunes and many of her own original tunes. “Somewhere over the Rainbow,” “Shenandoah,” “What a Wonderful World” and “Autumn Leaves” were among the standards that her powerful soprano voice delivered with great emotion. Her her own songs, many satirical and humorous, included “I Want to be Like Barbie,” “Ode to Velveeta” and “Crosses.”
She is also a highly skilled guitarist.
Duane Griffin, longtime Perry Fine Arts committee member, announced his retirement at the concert after 41 years of service to art and culture in Perry.
The annual event ended sweetly, with homemade ice cream and cookies served in the church’s Fireside Room.
By the time the last fireworks faded from the Perry sky over Pattee Park, we were tired but happy and proud to be from Perry and to bring our readers Perry. Please enjoy the photos and video, and feel free to let us know how you feel about our holiday coverage.
ThePerryNews.com photos by Jeff Webster
Video courtesy PEGASUS TV 12 and volunteer Doug Wood
https://youtu.be/sESmsx8g0Hs
