Charles City’s Independence Day celebration continues Friday to Sunday; fireworks reset to Friday night

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

The Fourth of July may have come and gone, but there are three full days of activities left as Charles City continues to celebrate Independence Day — including with fireworks.

Heavy rain Thursday evening caused the sponsoring Charles City Chamber of Commerce to postpone the fireworks until Friday night.

Mark Wicks, community development director, said the fireworks would start right after the band in Central Park, Coyote Wild, stops playing at 10 tonight.

And there’s lots more still to come. Saturday could be said to be going to the dogs in Central Park. In addition to three shows by Chris Perondi’s All-Star Stunt Dogs, a hot dog-eating contest has been added for Saturday night.

Spectators will be able to see if any of the six local contestants is able to come close to the 71 dogs that Joey Chestnut scarfed down to win his 12th national men’s belt Thursday in the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest on Coney Island, or even the 31 that Miki Sudo downed for the woman’s title.

The Charles City contest will begin at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in front of the stage, with the six contestants seeing who can eat the most hot dogs in 10 minutes. The winner will receive a cash prize of $100, while the runner-up will receive $50.

Today (Friday), there will be live music, food and beverages in Central Park from 5 to 11 p.m., with Coyote Wild on stage from 6 to 10 p.m.

The free All-Star Stunt Dogs Show will take place at 5:15 p.m. and 8 p.m. today (Friday).

Saturday’s events begin bright and early with a Charles City Bike Ride departing from the First Security Bank parking lot at 8 a.m. Also in the morning, the regular farmers market will be adjacent to Central Park from 9 a.m. to noon.

The Kids Zone inflatables will be open in Central Park from 1 to 7 p.m. Saturday, and there will be live music, food and beverages from 5 to 11 p.m. Music will be provided by Spacemen from 5 to 7 p.m. and the Danny Grause Band from 8 to 11 p.m.

The All-Star Stunt Dog Show performance times on Saturday are noon, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Other activities in town Saturday include the Family Doubles Tennis Tournament beginning at noon in Sportsmen’s Park; the Charles City High School Drama Club Alumni Reunion at the Public Library from 1 to 3:30 p.m. and then at the Elks Lodge from 5-9 p.m.; and the Charles City High School Alumni Jazz Band Concert at the YEC Building at the Floyd County Fairgrounds beginning at 7 p.m.

The Floyd County Historical Society Museum will also be open Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m.

On Sunday, the day begins with Dad’s Belgian Waffles at the Columbus Club from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; a church service in Central Park at 10 a.m.; and the Fifth Annual Ron Turner Golf Tournament at Cedar Ridge Golf Course beginning at 10 a.m.

At 1 p.m. Sunday, the Bill Riley Talent Search will begin in the auditorium at 500 N. Grand Ave. The show is free to enter and free to spectators.

Cash prizes are awarded to the top three place finishers and the qualifier in the Sprout (age 2-12) competition and in the Senior (age 13-21) competition will be able to compete at the Iowa State Fair.

For more information on the events and the latest schedule, go to www.charlescitychamber.com or contact the Chamber at 641-228-4234 or info@charlescitychamber.com.