Jean Sedlacek is having about 40 relatives and friends over to her Leland Township home Friday afternoon and evening.

There will be plenty of food and beverages, a new enclosed porch, and her own fireworks display to kick off what she hopes will be a festive Fourth of July holiday weekend.

JEAN SEDLACEK displays her patriotic spirit as she
prepares for a Fourth of July party at her Leland
Township house that will even include a fireworks
display.

What she didn’t know until last week, however, was she was continuing an old family tradition. In the Looking Back column in last week's Leelanau Enterprise, Sedlacek read an item first published 123 years ago that captured her attention.

“The Young people of Provemont have decided to celebrate the glorious Fourth at the place of Mr. Simeon Schaub,” the item read. It was from the June 25, 1885 edition of the
Enterprise.

Sedlacek said she had to sit down after reading the sentence.

“Simeon Schaub is my grandfather. He used to live in the big stone house in Lake Leelanau,” she said.

The yard and fields surrounding Sedlacek’s home on Kolarik Road, just over the hill from St. Wenceslaus Church, will have plenty of room for a planned professional fireworks display that will go off around dark at her home.

“ I wanted to have something a little bit more than just sparklers and bottle rockets,” she said, adding this will be the she has hosted such a lavish Independence Day party at her house.

“When I first got married we had a small party and that was the only time we did it,” she said referring to herself and her late husband, Robert. She also said she’s been wanting to improve the enclosed porch on her house for some time, and hosting a party was just the nudge she needed to move forward. “It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Sedlacek said.

Sedlacek and thousands of others around the county will celebrate the nation’s birthday with events ranging from patriotic hymns and song-singing in Leland and Burdickville, to a boat parade on Glen Lake, and fireworks at Northport and Traverse City. Following is a list of events taking place today through Sunday for the holiday weekend. For information on the 27th annual Cedar Polka Fest, see Sec. 2, Pg. 1.

TODAY

5 p.m. — Suttons Bay/Leelanau County Rotary Club canned food drive: Cedar Polka Fest Tent, Tennis Courts, Cedar.

8 p.m. — Patriotic Hymn Sing at the Village Green in Leland, sponsored by Immanuel Lutheran Church of Leland. The Rev. Lawrence Matro will lead the assembly in a prayer for the nation. There will be recitations of poems and works of prose, and the singing of patriotic songs, hymns and folk songs. Participants are encouraged to bring a lawn chair.

Dusk — Fireworks, over Leland Township Harbor.

FRIDAY

10 a.m. — Flag raising ceremony and patriotic song singing at Old Settlers Picnic Grounds, Burdickville. The Glen Lake Womans’ Club will once again sponsor this event. U.S. Rep. Dave Camp (R-Midland) will be the ke note speaker and will provide an apolitical subject for his speech.

— Ladies Day at the International Coffee Club of America, Fire Hall, Leland. The traditionally male coffee club “allows” the fairer sex to enjoy a cup of coffee and a donut or two.

11 a.m.-4 p.m. — Suttons Bay/Leelanau County Rotary Club Brat Sale and Canned Food Drive, Village Green, Leland. Rotarians will be selling brats and collecting canned, non-perishable foods and monetary contributions to the Leelanau Christian Neighbors Food Pantry.

11:45 a.m. — Lineup for the Glen Arbor July 4 Parade in Glen Haven. This year’s parade will feature the usual assortment of clever home-made floats and entries and perhaps a few more political candidates than usual. The parade starts promptly at noon, leaves Glen Haven and arrives in Glen Arbor about 20 to 30 minutes later. The route runs along M-109 to M-22 and ends around the Glen Arbor Quick Stop gas station.

2:30 p.m. — Lineup for the Leland July 4 Parade at Christmas Tree Corner (M-22 and Reynolds Street). Entries into the more formal Leland parade must already be signed up. The units will line up on Reynolds and proceed north on M-22 at 3 p.m. to the Village Green. Once all the entries have passed a panel of judges will give out awards for different categories.

3:30 p.m. — July 4 Boat Parade on Big Glen Lake. Open to all boats. Form up at the dock in front of Old Settlers Picnic Grounds, then proceed west through the Narrows bridge to the Little Glen Lake beach. Best spot for public viewing is the M-22 narrows bridge.

7 p.m. — Live music with the Northport Community Band and Village Voices choir, Marina Park, Northport. The band and choral group will perform separate songs and combine on a couple of traditional pieces, including a dramatic recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance and John Philip Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever.

— Northport High School volleyball team hot dog stand, Marina Park, Northport. The Wildcats’ girls volleyball team will be selling hotdogs and beverages to raise funds for new uniforms and other team needs during the Northport July 4 celebration. Look for them in the Marina Park area.

8:30 p.m. — Due North, Marina Park, Northport. The popular rock cover band will perform up to the start of the fireworks over Northport Bay, and until midnight after the display is completed.

Dusk — Fireworks over Northport Bay.

— Fireworks over West Grand Traverse Bay, viewable along the shoreline in Greilickville.

— Free outdoor movie night, open space next to the Post Office, Empire. Empire Surf and
Kayak is showing various movies on surfing and other outdoor activities all summer long.

SATURDAY

9 a.m.— Two mile “fun run” benefit for the American Cancer Society, the Depot, Northport. The annual event features the two-mile fun run starting at 9 a.m., with the 10K and 5K races starting at 9:30 a.m. with the fun walk starting immediately after. The first 200 registrants receive a free T-shirt. To register or for more information, call race director George Anderson at 386-5188.

9 a.m.-4 p.m. — Friends of the Leelanau Township Library Used Book Sale, Leelanau Township Library, Northport. The Friends group uses the proceeds from the sale to fund various library needs through out the year.

10 a.m. — “Team Kohler” car wash to benefit the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, Suttons Bay Elementary School Parking Lot.

— Inland Seas Boat Tour, Marina, Northport. Take a tour of the Inland Seas Schoolship as it is docked at the Northport Harbor.

Noon-3 p.m. — Second Annual Northport Promise Pledge Picnic, Marina Park, Northport. The fundraiser for the Northport Promise Scholarship program features a classic picnic lunch and silent auction with 69 items up for bid. Music provided by North Bay Celtic and Hugh Willey.

8 p.m. — Juggernaut Jug Band concert, Northport Community Arts Center, Northport Public School, Northport.

SUNDAY

8 a.m.-noon — Glen Arbor Fire and Rescue Association’s annual Pancake Breakfast fundraiser, Public Safety Building, State Street, Glen Arbor.

8 a.m.-1 p.m. — Empire Eagles Breakfast Buffet, Empire Township Hall, Front Street, Empire.