The July 4th, 2010, Independence Day events in Bel Air, Maryland offered fun, patriotic splendor, and educational interest to citizens of the entire region, all during a day of bright sun, light breezes, blue skies and happy smiles. Tens of thousands of citizens from the greater Bel Air area and across Harford County, Maryland, participated and enjoyed the traditional small-town events on Sunday, July 4th, 2010, culminating with the annual parade and a glorious fireworks display.
Events got underway at 6:45 am at the new Bel Air High School with the flag raising ceremony featuring Robert Hudson, bugler, Disabled American Veterans Chapter 30 and American Legion Bel Air Post 39.
The traditional pancake and sausage breakfast followed, in which over 2200 adults and children partook of the pancakes, blueberry pancakes, juice and sausages cooked and prepared by over 50 volunteers from the Bel Air Lions, under the direction of Harold Boccia. The new location of the new Bel Air High School was deemed a great success by all.
A full roster of daytime events followed, including the traditionally popular animal contests contests. The officials running the events cautioned all animal owners and handlers to treat their charges well, to keep them thoroughly watered, and urged them to return the frogs and turtles to their natural environment.
Results were:
Hamster Races — 26 total participants
1st: Mia Hamster, owned by Tyler Thompson of Bel Air.
2nd: Dr. Fuzzy Pants, owned by Megan Sherrard of Bel Air.
3rd: Fluffy, owned by Jack Edwards of Bel Air
Turtle Derby
Box Turtles — 76 total participants
1st: Darth Vader, entered by Preston Hanson of Street
2nd: Jeffery, entered by Emily Kagan of Bel Air
3rd: Jezzelle, entered by Sydney Hergan of Bel Air
Other Turtles — 50 total participants
1st: Charlie, entered by Frankie Gebhard of Bel Air
2nd: Stinky, entered by Jared & Alice Haas of Bel Air
3rd: Avocado, entered by Lucas Auer of Forest Hill
Frog Jumping — 146 total participants
1st: Creampuff, entered by Jake Davenport of Bel Air — 146 inches
2nd: Mike, entered by Ryan Lepp of Bel Air — 112 inches
3rd: Leprechaun, entered by Jared Haas of Bel Air — 99 inches
Horseshoe Pitching
Women's Singles:
1st: Terry Young of Street
2nd: Boots Raab of Bel Air
Women's Doubles:
1st: Charlotte Onion of Stewartstown, PA, and Vicky Smith of Darlington
2nd: Terry Young of Street and Hazel Ellis of Bel Air
Men's Singles:
1st: Bob Koontz of Monk's Corner, SC
2nd: Mark Wasmer of Fallston
Men's Doubles:
1st: Mark Wasmer of Fallston and Tom Tapler of Bel Air
2nd: Jeff Cooper of Delta and Harry Mitzel of Edgewood
Bicycle Rodeo
Best Decorated — Girls: Lindsey Musselman of Forest Hill
Best Decorated — Boys: Sam Raedeke of Bel Air
Ages 5 and under:
1st: Brady Stangle of Bel Air
2nd: Mackenzie Hopkins of Forest Hill
3rd: Elizabeth McPherson of Bel Air
Ages 6-8:
1st: Preston Merz of Bel Air
2nd: Lily Barry of Bel Air
3rd Max Pietsch of Bel Air
Ages 9-10:
1st: Mason Wooton of Bel Air
2nd: Heather Euler of Bel Air
3rd: Sydney Hergan of Bel Air
Ages 11-12 winner: Morgan Weeks of Bel Air
Uncle Sam Says
Ages 5-7:
1st: Faith from Whiteford
2nd: Katie from Fallston
3rd: Ryan from Bel Air
Ages 8-10:
1st: Gabrielle from Whiteford
2nd: Teresa from Bel Air
3rd: Hannah from Bel Air
Ages 11-13:
1st: Erin from Baldwin
2nd: Gavin from Whiteford
3rd: Jennifer from Bel Air
Ages 14+:
1st: Erica from Bel Air
2nd: Abby from Bel Air
3rd: Allison from Bel Air
Watermelon Eating Contest
Ages 6 and under:
1st: Emily Nelson from Forest Hill
2nd: Matthew Corea from Forest Hill and Bryce Lawrence from Bel Air
Ages 7-10:
1st: Megan Iannatuoni from Bel Air
2nd: Andrew Hicho from Bel Air
3rd: Sarah Nelson from Forest Hill
Ages 11-16:
1st: Michael Inbierowicz from Bel Air
2nd: Matthew Holder from Elkton
3rd: Kaylee Wooters from Bel Air
After a recess for the afternoon, the traditional parade began at 6:00 pm at the intersection of North Main Street and Gordon Street on the north side of Bel Air. The cool breezes and the glorious blue sky of the late afternoon put everyone in a good mood, and the parade was greeted with approval by an estimated crowd of 45,000 spectators.
Before the actual parade began, American Flags were handed out to all children along the parade route. The flags were generously donated by the Bel Air Branch of M & T Bank, led by Deborah Williams. Distribution of flags was handled by bank employees, bank friends and neighbors, and by members of the Bel Air Bobcats Varsity Football Team & Cheerleaders, and by Boy Scout Troop 564, all led by Don Stewart.
Reviewing stand narration was provided by Don Morrison.
Many of the parade units were sponsored by area businesses. Banners in the parade celebrating these sponsors were carried by members of the Fountain Green Swim Club, under the direction of David Williams. Parade sponsors included:
- Balsamo, Stewart, Lutters & Ruth, CPAs, sponsor of the Shenandoah Sound
- Buontempo Brothers/Tower Restaurant,
sponsor of the Patterson Mill High School Band
- Festival at Bel Air,
sponsor of the Music City Legends Band
- HAR-CO Maryland
Federal Credit Union,
sponsor of the Reading Buccaneers Drum & Bugle Corps
- Jones Junction Auto Dealerships,
sponsor of the C. Milton Wright High School Band
- Klein's ShopRites of Maryland,
sponsor of the Alliance Drum & Bugle Corps
- Oak Contracting, Inc.,
sponsor of the Edgewood High School Band
- Parris-Castoro
Eye Care Center,
sponsor of the John Carroll School Band
- Plaza Ford,
sponsor of the Loch Raven Pipes and Drums
- PNC Bank,
sponsor of the North Harford High School Band
- Point Breeze Credit Union,
sponsor of the Bel Air Community Band
- SAIC,
sponsor of the Havre de Grace High School Band
- TD Bank,
sponsor of the Carolina Gold Drum & Bugle Corps
Parade Results
6 independent Parade Judges viewed the parade, whose theme was America the Beautiful, and awarded the following prizes:
FLOATS
1st Prize: $400: GREAT HOPE BIBLE CHURCH
2nd Prize: $300: MISSION FOR CHRIST DANCE TROUPE
3rd Prize: $200: THE ARENA CLUB
4th Prize: $100: OAK GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH
5th Prize: $75: BAHA'I'S OF BEL AIR
6th Prize: $50: ST. MARGARET SCHOOL
7th Prize: plaque: YOGA FRESH
EQUESTRIAN UNITS
1st Prize: $100: SHINING EYE PERCHERONS
2nd Prize: $90: AMERICA IN MINIATURE
3rd Prize: $80: HALL'S SEPTIC SYSTEM
ANTIQUE VEHICLES (plaques)
1st Prize: MARYLAND STATE POLICE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
2nd Prize: SMITH FAMILY ANTIQUE VEHICLES & TRACTORS
3rd Prize: US ARMY HALF-TRACK 1943 AUTO-CAR
COLOR GUARDS (plaques)
1st Prize: HARFORD COUNTY DETACHMENT MARINE CORPS LEAGUE
2nd Prize: HARFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE HONOR GUARD
3rd Prize: VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA
MOBILE UNITS (plaques)
1st Prize: THOMPSON MOVING AND STORAGE
2nd Prize: PASSION 4 PAVEMENT CARS, TRUCKS & BIKES CLUB
3rd Prize: HARFORD REGION ANTIQUE AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF AMERICA
MARCHING UNITS (plaques)
1st Prize: CUB SCOUT PACK 936
2nd Prize: HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
3rd Prize: APPLAUSE OF BEL AIR
4th Prize: HOPPIN' HAWKS JUMP ROPE CLUB
EMERGENCY VEHICLES (plaques)
1st Prize: JOPPA-MAGNOLIA VFC
2nd Prize: JARRETTSVILLE VFC
3rd Prize: DARLINGTON VFC
COMIC/NOVELTY ACTS (plaques)
1st Prize: UNCLE SAM & THE SPECIAL ENTERTAINERS
2nd Prize: FAN MAN & THE RAVENS BUS BOYS
3rd Prize: BUONTEMPO BROTHERS PIZZA SLICE & MINI-CAR
THE HARFORD COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL BEL AIR JULY 4 PARADE TROPHY
is awarded for 2010 to:
C. MILTON WRIGHT HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING MUSTANG BAND
BANDS, DRUM & BUGLE CORPS, MAJORETTE CORPS (plaques)
1st Prize: READING BUCCANEERS
2nd Prize: MUSIC CITY LEGENDS BAND
3rd Prize: CAROLINA GOLD
NOTABLE PEOPLE (plaques)
Most Patriotic: MSFA JUNIOR MISS FIRE PREVENTION Cassie Clinton
Best Presentation: MISS MARYLAND 2010 Lindsay Staniczewski
Most Popular with the Crowd: HCPS TEACHER OF THE YEAR Lisa Mullen & NURSE OF THE YEAR Debbie King
Seemed Happiest to Be in the Parade: MISS MARYLAND'S OUTSTANDING TEEN Mary Teal Mulligan
ABSOLUTELY UNIQUE ENTRY
(plaque): CITY OF ABERDEEN RECYCLES!
JUDGES AWARDS FOR SPECIAL MERIT:
BEL AIR TERPS YOUTH FOOTBALL
BEL AIR VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY
CENTRAL ALARMERS OF BALTIMORE COUNTY
EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BAND
HARFORD COUNTY MISS FIRE PREVENTION 2010
JARRETTSVILLE YOUNG MARINES
MUSTANG CLUB OF MARYLAND
FLORIDA SUN DEVILS DRUM & BUGLE CORPS
Winners of awards in the parade are contacted by the Bel Air Independence Day Committee, Inc., to deliver their prizes. Parade awards winners may also call Michael Blum at 410-893-1700.
The evening ended with a grand fireworks display, sponsored by HARFORD MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY, and produced by Fireworks Productions, Inc. The launch site was Rockfield park, on a height by East Churchville Road.
