4th of July in Wasilla, Alaska - Independence Day!

(the flag atop Lazy Mountain, near Palmer. It is a memorial for the Wounded Warriors - image by Judy Youngquist)

There's going to be a lot of activity today in Wasilla. It's hard to compete with Seward today, but we'll do our best.

At 11:00 in the morning, the parade through central Wasilla begins. John Klapperich, Eddie Burke's (and to a lesser extent - Shannyn Moore's) boss, will be the master of ceremonies, as he has been for years. The Grand Marshall of the parade will be Katie Hurley, the Secretary of Alaska's Constitutional Convention.

An hour before the parade, the Mat-Su Community Band will play patriotic Americana with a lot of style. I think they'll be playing on the deck of the Teeland Building, behind the library and museum. I'll be playing trombone in the band.

Here they are, performing Sousa's The Thunderer, five or six years go.

The Mat-Su Democrats will be marching at the parade. Beforehand (10:30ish) you can join us by the VPA parking lot.

After the parade, the Mat-Su Democrats will be hosting an ice cream social at Nunley Park, to the east of City Hall. We'll be scooping good locally made ice cream until at least 1:30.

At 4:00 p.m. the Alaska Tea Party will be having a picnic at Newcomb Park on Wasilla Lake. I'll be there, asking Teabaggers what they think soon-to-be-ex-Gov. Sarah Palin's next move might be.

Palin sort of showed up for the last Tea Party, but few expect her to be at the picnic today. But, you never know what she might do next.