Salisbury marks Fourth of July

LAKEVILLE — The Salisbury Association hosted the traditional Independence Day celebration at the town Grove Friday, July 4, with a reading of the Declaration of Independence and a concert by the Salisbury Band.

The official start of the program was noon. At 11 a.m., the Grove’s lot was mostly full, and it was already difficult to find a parking space on the immediately adjacent streets.

Grove manager Stacey Dodge was manning the ticket booth. She said she was glad the day was cooler than the previous few days, all scorchers.

“My seniors won’t come out if it’s really hot,” she said.

A group of children — Hal and May Brzyski, and Frankie and Kolby Chou — were selling lemonade at a dollar a cup.

Asked if they used a mix or concentrate, the lemonade experts recoiled in horror. Hal Bryzski explained patiently that the lemonade was made from lemons the children squeezed themselves, plus sugar and water.

This is the sixth year for the lemonade experts, but the first year at the July 4 event. They usually sell the lemonade to the hot and thirsty users of the tennis courts at Community Field in Lakeville.

The proceeds go to the Salisbury Volunteer Ambulance Service.

EXTRAS, the afterschool and summer program at Salisbury Central School, had hot dogs, chips, soda and water for sale. Business was brisk.

After brief remarks by Salisbury Association Cynthia Walsh, there was a drum roll and Heman Allen (as played by Lou Bucceri in period costume) made his way through the crowd to the small riser in front of the band.

He then read the entire Declaration of Independence, which took about 11 minutes.

Upon completion, the band played the national anthem, and as far as the eye could see were citizens standing with hands and/or hats over their hearts.

The band conducted by Brian Viets, then commenced the program, starting with Alex Lithgow’s “Invercargill Match.”