Troy celebration on the Fourth dates back nearly a century
File/The Western News The Fourth of July celebration in Troy dates back at least to the 1910s.
The Fourth of July celebration in Troy dates back at least to the 1910s. Although the Troy Chamber of Commerce appears to be out of the picture, another group of locals is currently organizing to keep the celebration going.
Locals are proud of events like Troy’s Timberbeast Disc Golf Tournament because it represents a cutting edge activity popular in today’s world. But Troy’s Old Fashioned Fourth of July celebration is cherished for the exact opposite reason.
Steve Bowen grew up celebrating Independence Day in Roosevelt Park with vendors, free events all day long and the largest fireworks display found anywhere in the region. He has helped organize Troy’s celebration on and off for the past 20 years.
As far as its origin, Bowen wasn’t quite sure.
“It was just something that seemed to happen here as far back as 1910,” Bowen said. “It’s always been a big deal.”
Though the event has missed a few years in the middle, Troy’s celebration on Independence Day has been a tradition for more than 90 years.
“This year Troy furnished the Fourth of July celebration for Lincoln County, and it was a big success,” a July 6, 1916 Western News article reads. “An immense crowd was present from all parts of the county and from northern Idaho and Washington.”
The 1916 celebration included a baseball game between the Troy and Bonners Ferry, Idaho teams, track and field events, and a band and dancing “held in a splendid pavilion specially constructed for the occasion.”
This year’s celebration will also include ballgames – 3-on-3 basketball – and provide live music in a pavilion – eight groups from noon until after dusk – and have many more activities the whole day throughout.
It is fitting that an event with such a long tradition should be the first to fully take on the Lincoln County centennial theme “hats off to 100 years.”
It will be the first event to sell commemorative centennial coins – $15 for copper and $30 for silver – that arrived just last week. Centennial T-shirts and buttons will also be for sale, and event organizers will hand out free themed postcards and a variety of over 100 free centennial hats, made possible through a county grant.
Floats with the “Hats off” theme will compete to win special centennial ribbons in Troy’s Fourth of July parade, which begins at 11 a.m. The Air Force will fly two F-15 fighters over Troy at around 10:15 a.m.
For the second year now, children can participate in the Kids Carnival from noon-6 p.m. Free Kids Games are scheduled for 2 p.m. A quilt show, car show and tug-of-war are also annual events that attendees can enjoy. To top the day off, the largest fireworks show in the region will begin at dusk.
Bowen and other organizers spent months gathering volunteers and orchestrating events to ensure that this year will exemplify why Troy’s Fourth of July is cherished by both locals and out-of-towners.
Melody Condron, president of the Troy Chamber of Commerce, has helped organize the event for three years now. As a Troy transplant, she describes why she feels the event is special.
“I would say our ability to maintain it as a free family event with no entrance fee,” Condron said. “Community pride that is willing to make it a possibility. It’s insane how much goes into it, and nobody gets paid.”
Organizers spend more than $8,000 on fireworks alone, Condron said. Proceeds from concession stands that are staffed by volunteers continue to support the event. Last year about 150 volunteers worked before, during and after the event to make sure that the crowd of 5,000-6,000 had a good time.
As a Troy native, Bowen has a different reason why the celebration is special to him.
“I think it’s seeing people you haven’t seen for years,” Bowen said. “That’s one of the things I think is neat about it. A bunch of people run into old friends and school buddies.”
Schedule of Events
All events at Roosevelt Park unless otherwise noted.
• All Day – Arts/crafts and food vendors
• 9 a.m.-11 p.m. – Information booth open
• 9-11 a.m. – Breakfast at concession stand
• 9 a.m.-Dusk – Lincoln County Amateur Ham Radio centennial event
• 10:15 a.m. – F-15 Fighter flyover.
• 11 a.m. – Fourth of July Parade (begins near Stein’s Market)
• Noon – Live entertainment: Javier Ryan
• Noon-3 p.m. – Car Show
• Noon-5 p.m. – Tender Lovin’ Quilters show at Morrison Elementary (also Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.)
• Noon-6 p.m. – Kids Carnival
• 12:30 p.m. – 3-on-3 basketball tournament (sign up by noon at information booth)
• 1 p.m. – Live entertainment: Mike McKee
• 2 p.m. – Kids Games
• 2 p.m. – Live entertainment: Julie, Pam & Crystal
• 3 p.m. – Live entertainment: J.D. Smith & the Three-Legged Dog
• 4 p.m. – Live entertainment: Burning Castle
• 5 p.m. – Live entertainment: Indomitable Spirit
• 6 p.m. – Live entertainment: Special Peoples
• 7:30 p.m. – Live entertainment: Copper Mountain Band (will play until 30 minutes after fireworks)
• 8 p.m. – Tug-of-War contest
• 10 p.m. – Cash drawing
• Dusk – Fireworks show
Note: For safety reasons, organizers prohibit dogs, bicycles, skateboards, personal fireworks and alcohol from outside the park.