Miller Minutes
Did you know the Popsicle was invented by accident?
An 11-year-old boy left a cup of water and powdered soda outside and it froze overnight. Now, we have a snack synonymous with summer.
While Popsicles are the snack of the summer, Independence Day is the holiday of the summer. If I had to pick a favorite holiday, this would be it. There’s no pressure to buy people things or be anywhere. It is purely celebratory. There are parades, fireworks and, often, Popsicles in abundance.
While America was not created overnight like the Popsicle, it was considered a “great experiment” when our Founding Fathers sought to break from England.
There were many ups and downs (and there still are), but one thing you can be sure of is Americans will make the best of everything and will always emerge victorious.
This weekend, let’s celebrate this great invention and those who laid down their lives for it.
Let’s break out the sparklers and those Old Navy shirts with the American flags emblazoned across the chest. Grill hot dogs and hamburgers. Go outside. Watch fireworks.
Eat Popsicles. But only if they’re red, white or blue (or all three).
And if you need help deciding where exactly to wear your American flag shirt, don’t worry. I’ll help you.
√ The Big Butler Fair opens at 9 a.m. every day through Saturday at 1127 New Castle Road, Franklin Township. The carnival opens at 3 p.m. Children under age 6 enter free. General admission costs $9 online, $8 at the gate before 4 p.m., and $10 at the gate after 4 p.m. All-day ride passes cost an additional $35 and can be purchased online at the fair’s website, bigbutlerfair.com.
√ The county’s night sky will be ablaze with fireworks this weekend. At dusk, head to West Sunbury for one of the greatest fireworks displays around. Stop by the West Sunbury Volunteer Fire Department, 772 Hall Road, for a bite to eat, then lay out your blanket in their field nearby and watch the show. The fireworks are put on by the fire department and West Sunbury American Legion Post 243. For more information, see the fire department’s Facebook page.
√ Zelienople will kick off Independence Day with the Get Fit Families Firecracker 5K at 7:30 a.m. at the Community Park, 402 Beaver St. Registration is $35 for the 5K and $30 for the 1-mile fun run at getfitfamilies.com. A parade will follow the race at 11 a.m. on Zelienople’s Main Street.
√ Mars is having a July Fourth celebration that kicks off at noon with food trucks, vendors and entertainment in downtown Mars, followed by a parade that begins at 3 p.m. Fireworks will be set off at dusk from the west side of town. For more information, visit marsborough.com.
√ The fireworks show at the Big Butler Fair starts at 9 p.m.
√ “Meet Fireflies: Nature's Fireworks” will take place from 8:30 to 10 p.m. at Jennings Environmental Education Center, 2951 Prospect Rd, Brady Township. The event includes a 45-minute indoor presentation and a stroll through the prairie trails admiring fireflies. This program is designed for adults and older children. Registration is required by Wednesday, July 3, through the DNCR website or by calling 724-794-6011.
√ Butler will begin its fireworks display at dusk, and they will be set off from Michelle Krill Field at Historic Pullman Park. The ball fields at Pullman Park will be open for fireworks viewing.
√ The Evans City Lions Club is putting on a fireworks show to begin at dusk, launched from Evans City Cemetery. For the best viewing experience, find a location near where the cemetery’s cellphone tower is visible, according to the borough’s website. Entrance to the cemetery will be restricted at this event.
√ A Taste of the Symphony, a summer music series hosted by the Butler County Symphony Orchestra, kicks off at noon in Diamond Park, 108 S. Main St., Butler. Cassandra Eisenreich will perform on her flute. Admission to the concert is free, and there will be vendors set up at the park. For more information, visit the symphony’s website.
√ Slippery Rock will have its Independence Day celebration from 4 to 10 p.m. on Main Street. There will be food and music throughout the afternoon, and fireworks will begin at 10 p.m. For more information, visit the “Slippery Rock Independence Day Celebration” Facebook page.
Molly Miller is an Eagle correspondent.
