Rouses Point ready for Stars and Stripes on the Lake

ROUSES POINT | The proverbial spark is lit for a grand celebration here in the days leading up to the Fourth of July. Rouses Point's Stars and Stripes on the Lake comes back full swing June 30 to July 2 with a Farmers' Market Day, a day for youth events, craft fair and a chicken barbeque. Hours of live music are lined up, ending Sunday with a Mardi Gras Parade at 6:30 p.m. then fireworks off the point. Food trucks, magicians, bounce houses, games for kids, beer and wine vendors and food trucks will be set up around the village to round out the three-day fete. Stars and Stripes on the Lake is an all-volunteer effort growing in collaboration with the villages and community groups in and around Champlain. Each day brings a new kind of celebration. 62 YEARS Karen Weierstall is helping rekindle a tradition that many here remember from childhood. "It's been 62 years this event has been going on in this community," she said. "It was huge years ago. We had elephants back when I was a kid. They would bring 20,000 people back to the village. We all remember that." The effort to rekindle the Independence Day fest began a few years ago. "I was going to go to a village board meeting to ask how to help volunteer, but then I saw a group forming to renew our Fourth of July celebrations. It was Maxine Barcoumb and my old soccer coach and her husband, Josey and Kieran Gilroy, who formed the committee. Maxine and I asked a lot of the questions. 'Why don't we have a carnival anymore?' And we learned the event wasn't organized by the villages at all. And I said, Well, let's just blow it up." And that revival is well underway, despite one paused year during the pandemic. "There's a big nostalgia piece of this for us," Weierstall said. "We want for our children what we had so much fun with in our youth. They hear these stories and they want to be a part of it, too." COMMITTEE DRIVEN The Rouses Point Fourth of July Committee grew to include 20 residents from all corners of the community. "Historically, we've always held our events in the week before the Fourth of July so not to compete with the city and other neighboring towns. We were able to get the footing to figure it out and re-branded as the Stars and Stripes on the Lake celebration. Rouses Point is a beautiful place on Lake Champlain, and that is something we really want to share with the region." Collaboration has expanded to include not only the Village of Rouses Point but also the Village of Champlain, which are both part of the Town of Champlain. Area youth and craft organizations have joined in the planning. The Stars and Stripes team built a theme into their plan. And this year's celebration is Mardi Gras. The planning starts a year ahead and the committee keeps a steady schedule. "We meet every month on the First Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at the American Legion. We have a great time," Weierstall said. "What I love about it is the passion that we have as a group. We want this for our community. That's my favorite part: to keep people motivated." Sponsorship and fundraising comes from various sources through events and local business sponsorship. Towns help offset some costs. And the public/private partnership works. "We're a tight-knit community," Weierstall said. "It's a place to bring your children. And we all have a good time. " The committee has just launched its new Stars and Stripes website: www.rpstarsandstripes.com, with a complete schedule and information about the parade route, line-up and where to sign up for events. Event organizers are taking parade entries through June 26 in categories to include adult marching, junior marching, bands, floats, horses, and fire apparatus (old and new). To sign up for the parade, visit the website or email rousespointparade@gmail.com. STARS AND STRIPES ON THE LAKE Friday, June 30 welcomes everyone to the Farmers' Market from 3 to 7 p.m. at Rouses Point Dodge Memorial Library with a dunking booth and mechanical bull at the Rouses Point Civic Center and live music on the Samuel de Champlain Stage. There will be bounce houses set up all weekend. Saturday, July 2 is a special Kids' Day at the Civic Center and it starts off with a Fun Run followed by a kids' bike decorating event for youngsters who want to make a festive ride in the parade on Sunday. The Mardi Gras theme promises bright colors and beads. Strolling magic acts, a bounce house, games, prizes, free hot dogs and ice cream and snacks are all lined up for what organizers hope will be their best Stars and Stripes youth celebration yet. This day was planned in conjunction with the Village of Champlain Kids Connect youth program. Music at the Samuel de Champlain kicks off at 3 p.m. with Paradox performing ahead of Prof. Louie & the Crowmatix at 7 p.m. Sunday, July 2 features the Rouses Point Volunteer Fire Department Chicken BBQ at noon, with live music and craft vendors. The Mardi Gras Street Parade begins at 6:30 p.m. and Taylor Lavalley on the stage. Fireworks go off at dusk. Find out more: rpstarsandstripes.com.

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Rouses Point ready for Stars and Stripes on the Lake

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