MARSHALL — The sky will be lit up in Marshall this weekend, as the community celebrates Independence Day.

While there will be some changes to Marshall’s traditional schedule of events this year, the fireworks display at Independence Park on July 4 will still go on.

“We’re excited be able to do that for families,” said Amanda Beckler, community education coordinator at Marshall Community Services. The fireworks will begin at 10:15 p.m. Sunday. Before that, there will be food vendors and live music at Independence Park.

One long-running July 4 event, the Festival of Kites, won’t be going on this year.

“We’re having it scaled back this year,” Beckler said. Back when planning for the Fourth began, it wasn’t certain if COVID-19 restrictions would still be in place by July. Although restrictions have been lifted, Beckler said organizers stuck with having a lighter Independence Day schedule than in past years.

One thing was certain, however.

“We were still going to have the fireworks, regardless,” Beckler said. “It’s an event. It’s what we do in Marshall.”

Organizers are still encouraging families to come out and enjoy an evening in Independence Park, Beckler said. Food vendors including the Hitching Post and Cold Stone Creamery will open at 5 p.m. in the park, and singer/songwriter Kayla Daniels will perform starting at 8:30 p.m.

Independence Park won’t be the only place to see some fireworks this weekend. Balaton will have its display tonight at 10 p.m., as part of the community’s annual Fun Fest. Currie’s July 4th celebration will feature fireworks Sunday at dusk.

Celebrating community

There’s a lot to see and do in the area this weekend, with festivals like Balaton’s Fun Fest and Hendricks’ Summerfest kicking off today. And while July 4 celebrations are always a big deal in Ruthton, this year there will also be the added festivities of the Ruthton Vikings all-school reunion.

“People are excited. They’re coming from all over the place,” said Tami Nelson, one of the reunion’s organizers. Organizers received responses from more than 300 Ruthton alumni.

Part of the reason the all-school reunion was planned for this summer was as a farewell to the Ruthton school building, Nelson said. What is now Russell-Tyler-Ruthton Elementary saw its last-ever class of students this spring. The RTR District is finishing a new K-12 school building in Tyler, and the old Ruthton school building will be demolished.

This weekend will give Ruthton alumni a chance to reminisce at the school building one last time. Guided tours of the new school in Tyler will be given Saturday morning, and people will be able to tour the Ruthton school from 2-4 p.m.

“We will have the Ruthton school open for whoever wants to come inside,” Nelson said. Later that evening, community members will have a chance to hear some musical entertainment from the Dueling Duos piano duo.

Community events are also part of Fun Fest and Summerfest this weekend. This afternoon, members of the Balaton High School graduating class of 1969 will be honoring former long-time coach and teacher Ron Borchert, by dedicating a memorial at Eastbay Park. Borchert was a Balaton resident for more than 60 years, and spent his entire teaching career in Balaton. Borchert died in 2019 at the age of 86.

There will be a full schedule of events in Balaton this weekend, including a parade and family events on Saturday afternoon, and a street dance Saturday night.

In Hendricks, the annual Community Spirit Award will be presented on Saturday, after the Summerfest parade at 11 a.m. There are also lots of fun events planned, including the “Night of a Thousand Elvises” musical program tonight, firemen’s water games on Saturday and a boat parade on Lake Hendricks on Sunday.

Schedule of events

Balaton

Today

1:30 p.m. Balaton High School Class of ’69 dedication of Ron Borchert Memorial, Eastbay Park

2:30-5:30 p.m. The Borchert Challenge, at Balaton Bay golf course putting green. Rain date is Saturday from 7:30-10:30 a.m.

5:30 p.m. Balaton Foundation burger feed at Legion-Lion Park

7-9:30 p.m. Red Hat Gypsy and Redwood River Boys at Legion-Lion Park

10 p.m. Fireworks at Eastbay

Saturday

7:30 a.m. Registration for fun run at Legion-Lion park

8-10 a.m. Chamber Breakfast at Legion-Lion Park

8:30 a.m. Registration for 3-on-3 basketball, Main Street

10 a.m. Kiddie parade at Lakeview Senior Housing

2 p.m. Grand Parade

3-6 p.m. Kids’ events (Touch the Truck, sidewalk chalk, bubbles, petting zoo) at Legion-Lion Park

3:30 p.m. Little Scrappers Pedal Pull on Main Street, junior bean bag tournament at Legion-Lion Park

4:30 p.m. Cow Bingo at Legion-Lion Park

9 p.m. Firemen’s street dance featuring “Drop Tailgate” on Main Street

Sunday

10 a.m. Ecumenical service at Victory Christian Church

11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Trinity Church picnic dinner at the Community Center

Noon Adult bean bag tournament, Legion-Lion Park

Currie

Saturday

9 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Street dance featuring IV Play

Sunday

Volleyball tournament at City Park

Bean bag tournament at City Park

11 a.m.-1 p.m. 4th of July picnic and Currie Town & Country membership drive

1:30 p.m. Duck races at the Des Moines Bridge

Dusk Fireworks sponsored by Currie Town & Country and Currie Fire Department

Hendricks

Today

5 p.m. Scavenger hunt at the Red Barn Theater

5:15 p.m. Bike parade lineup at Faith Lutheran Church

5-7 p.m. Relay For Life taco feed

7 p.m. Night of a Thousand Elvises at the band shell

After dark “The Sandlot” movie showing at the ball field

Saturday

8 a.m. Fun run at ball field concession stand

8-10:30 a.m. Lake Hendricks Improvement Association pancake feed at the picnic shelter

11 a.m. Parade followed by Community Spirit Award ceremony at Ardor Park. Free sack lunch provided by the Foundation.

2:30 p.m. Hendricks Fire Department water fun

3-4 p.m. Kiwanis bingo at the picnic shelter

Sunday

9 a.m. Community church service in the park. In case of rain, services will be at Christ Lutheran Church.

1 p.m. Trivia at the band shell

2 p.m. Boat parade

Marshall

(All events at Independence Park)

5 p.m. Food vendors open

8:30 p.m. Musical performance by Kayla Daniels

10:15 p.m. Fireworks

Ruthton

Saturday

2 p.m. All school reunion, self-guided tours at RTR Elementary School

7 p.m. Deulin’ Duo Pianos

Sunday

9 a.m. Community church service in the park

10 a.m-2 p.m. Car show

11 a.m. Independence Day parade. Lunch in the park following the parade, plus activities including sand money pit, bingo, petting zoo, sidewalk chalk.

12:30 p.m. Kiddie tractor pull registration

3 p.m. Adult bean bag tournament by Stubbs Pub