Fourth of July in Rockaway Beach!

Monday, July 4 - 'Come join Rockaway Beach for a day full of fun, food, crafts, games, dunk-a-cop, arm wrestling, and more! Be sure to come down early and bring your blanket or lawn chairs and enjoy a great night of fireworks! There will be a beverage garden, music, lawn mower parade, and car show and cruise open to all vehicles. No Entry Fee! Top 3 vehicle awards and a crowd’s choice award. The fireworks begin around dusk. This celebration is funded solely on donations from the community and visitors and continues to be one the largest and best in the area.'

The above text is a pretty good representation of the announcements I've seen in print as to the events planned for Rockaway Beach MO on the fourth of July. It's my plan, this year, to be there and to try and cover all the festivities. There are a few story lines there that I'd like to watch unfold and in no particular order, they are;

1. New Bar – The owner of the newly opened White River Sports Bar and Grill (formerly the Taneycomo Market) plans to have their freshly outfitted deck open to the public along with a live band. Update: The live band may be in doubt!
2. Dockside beverage garden – Another bar plans to have a 'beverage garden'. Just where exactly that will be and what form of 'beverages' will be served is unknown at this time.
3. Lawn mower parade – OK, I may just skip this event.
4. Fireworks – The word last year was that the fireworks were a bit 'disappointing'. It'll be interesting to see if there is any improvement in 2016.
5. Police check points – As a counter check to all the fun and frivolity will be intersections where the police will do their best end your 'fun day of Independence' on a sour note, while filling County and city coffers with much needed funds via tickets and citations.

In my mind I keep seeing a vision similar to the parade scene in Animal House, complete with slashing mower blades running amok in a crowd reminiscent of a another scene out of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest..... sounds like a riot to me!