July 4 Celebrations In The Air

Here are some of the public celebrations scheduled for Independence Day:

• 'Happy Birthday, U.S.A.'
The Veterans Council of Highlands County Inc., the Veterans Advisory Board, and the Veterans Committee of the Sebring Elks will host a "Happy Birthday, U.S.A." ceremony at the Sebring Elks Lodge on Friday, July 4, at 10 a.m.

Opening the ceremony will be Highlands County Veteran Services Officer Joseph A. Dionne. The VFW Post 4300 Honor Guard will participate in the program by posting the colors. The commander for the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Fred Arbelo, will lead the Pledge of Allegiance; Eileen Weiss, St. Catherine's Catholic Church, will lead the National Anthem and "God Bless America."

County Commissioner Don Bates is the guest speaker.

The Sebring Elks Lodge is located at the intersection of Kenilworth Boulevard and Lakeview Drive.

• Patriotic Musical Revue
Highlands Little Theatre, 356 W. Center Ave., Sebring, will present its annual Patriotic Musical Revue on July 4.

Doors open at 10:30 a.m. Performances begin at 11 a.m. and continue every hour until 3 p.m.

Admission is free.

Hot dogs, brats, baked beans, coleslaw, cookies, soda and ice cold beer will be available for purchase with all proceeds benefiting the Janelou Buck Scholarship Fund.

For more information, visit www.highlandslittletheatre.org , or call the Box Office at 382-2525.

• Avon Park Fireworks
Lake Verona will come aglow with fireworks display at 9:15 p.m., Friday, July 4.

A live band will play patriotic tunes for about 3,000 expected onlookers.

• Sun 'N Lake Celebrations
Everybody has a chance to view fireworks at least twice this year since Sun 'n Lake will throw a big party with fireworks, starting at 2 p.m., Saturday, July 5.

The fireworks will explode over Lake Granada at 9 p.m. Parking is available at the golf course pro shop on Sun 'n Lake Boulevard. The public is invited.

The family-friendly bash will have a bounce house, a rock wall, a water slide, food vendors, snow cones, live entertainment and will feature local entertainer Bob Weed for dancing.

For information, call SNL at 385-4830.

• Lake Placid Fireworks Show
For Friday, July 4, the skies above Lake June will sizzle at 9 p.m.

The 25- to-30-minute fireworks show will feature 1,032 launched shells.

• Sebring Fireworks Display
The July 4th fireworks show above Lake Jackson will start at 9 p.m.

The actual festivities start at 2 p.m. and culminate into the fireworks show.

The area near the Sebring Civic Center will become the site of live musical entertainment, picnics, and family activities, with vendors up until dusk.