For 74 years, the Jaycees, an organiation comprised of all volunteers has hoted the premier family-friendly 4th of July Celebration that encompasses an arts and crafts festival, community fireworks, and the largest 4th of July parade in the state of Indiana. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Jaycees regret to announce that the Arts and Crafts Fair and Fireworks Celebration will be cancelled and the iconic 4th of July Parade will be moved to a later date.
The decisision was not made lightly, and the 4th of July Celebration encompasses a committee of volunteers that have been working hard planning since November of last year. The Jaycees have remained in contact with government officials and have followed Governor Eric Holcomb's frequent updates very closely. The Jaycees have decided that the responsible decision would be made to cancel the Arts & Crafts Fair on June 27th, the Fireworks on July 3rd, and the 4th of july Parade will be rescheduled in conjunction with the Sunflower Fair in September. More details regarding the parade will be released within the next couple of weeks.
"The Jaycees consider the utmost importance of safety when planning our community events. While we regret that our events are changing due to COVID-19, we are excited to be in the works of rescheduling the parade to a later date in September. The Jaycees hope that our amazing community will come out and truly show that we are LA PORTE PROUD together," said Ross Ratliff, Jaycees 4th of July Chairperson. "A lot of planning goes into an event of this magnitude, essentially as soon as the prior year event is over. No one anticipated this, and our focus is on the community, but we want to do it responsibly. We are also excited to celebrate our 75th Annual 4th of July Celebration in 2021 with the community like we have in the past. There truly is nothing like July 4th in La Porte with the Jaycees!"
The fireworks and parade events bring over 50,000 people together along the parade route and within the fairgrounds respectively. In light of the uncertainty of mass gatherings due to COVIE-19, the tough decision was made to make changes to our future summer events. The 4th of July Celebration is the largest community fundraiser put on by the La Porte Jaycees. Monies raised go directly back into the community to help support the holiday shopping events for children in need, community grants to local organizations, and to support the community with events such as the Easter Egg Hunt each year. The La Porte Jaycees has been and always will be an organization dedicated to the community of La Porte, and they cannot wait to continue the tradition when it is safe to do so.
In addition to the Parade being rescheduled, the Jaycees Port-A-Pit Chicken sale on Saturday, June 27th is still scheduled beginning at 10:00 a.m. at the La Porte Farmer's Market. Details on all Jaycee evnt updates, along with how to purchase Port-A-Pit tickets will be posted on the Jaycees website and social media pages in the next week.
Please follow the Jaycees on social media or visit www.laportejaycees.org for more information. If payments or application have been submitted for any of upcoming Jaycee events, the Jaycees will be reaching out soon regarding options.
About the La Porte Jaycees: The La Porte Jaycees is a leadership development organization for young professionals ages 18-40. For over 70 years, this organization comprised of all volunteers, has been a staple to the La Porte Community. Iconic events such as the 4th of July Celebration, Deserving Children's Shopping Tour, and the Community Easter Egg Hunt are all put on by the La Porte Jaycees. The La Porte Jaycees is the official young professionals organization of the La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership (LEAP), and continues to be a premier organization in the field of leadership development and in service to the community of La Porte. To learn more about the Jaycees or to get involved, visit www.laportejaycees.org.
