Bullard draws huge crowds for July 3 celebration
‘I’ve never seen so many people in the park in my whole life.’
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Bullard Park was hopping on Thursday for a July 3rd celebration. The Who Dats are shown near the beginning of their concert. They were the final band out of three during the day.
People spread out in their lawn chairs to take in the music.
The Who Dats had many in the crowd dancing. The band includes, from left: John Borello, Todd Graham, lead singer Lonnie Froman, Ed Hilfiker and Alex DeSmit on the drums.
These kids watch the finale of the fireworks from the top of a playground on Thursday night.
Bullard offered expanded activities throughout the day with the event capped by fireworks for the first time in a decade.
Several thousand people were at the park. Organizers aren’t sure of estimate.
Ron Albertson helped push through the upgrades to Bullard, an effort that started about a dozen years ago.
It paid off with a spray park for kids, an amphitheater, new playground equipment, a new pavilion with bathrooms, and other more recent improvements, including basketball courts, a walking trail, a disc golf course and soon, a pickle ball court.
“We have an absolute gem in our town,” Albertson said this morning about Bullard. “We wanted to bring recognition to our park.”
Albertson helps organize the upcoming Albion Summer Music Festival/Rock the Park which includes two days of bands on Aug. 1-2. This will be the 10th year for Rock the Park, which started to raise money for the Bullard upgrades.
Seeing all the people at Bullard on Thursday felt like the realization of the Bullard dream for Albertson and others who worked on Bullard’s transformation.
“I’ve never seen so many people in the park in my whole life,” Albertson said. “I thought it was fantastic.”
Volunteers with the G-ACRE (Greater Albion Community Recreation and Events, Inc.) served 500 chicken barbecue dinners. In front are Denise London and John Kurtz at the pavilion by the spray park.
Albertson praised John Grillo, the Albion recreation director, for leading the effort to have a big Independence Day celebration in Albion, a day early on July 3. Grillo also rallied the community to donate $10,000 for the fireworks show.
“I just knew it would draw a lot of people,” Grillo said about the fireworks and day’s events. “I’m very proud of this community.”
Grillo also praised the efforts of the Albion Police Department, Department of Public Works and firefighters for make the day go smoothly.
Madaline Bloom, 9, rides a pony brought to the park by KTJ Saddle Up Pony Rides.
Jim Navarra gave people wagon rides through the park.
Emma Hollenbeck, 8, gets her face painted by Mary Jo Whitman.
These kids played an intense game of Gaga Ball. There were also several bounce houses available.
104 Country performed for nearly two hours. There were about 50 food and craft vendors at the park.
104 Country includes Mike Hartman on vocals and guitar; Norm Bock on vocals and guitar, mandolin and banjo; Luca Quagliano on percussion; and Cindy Lynn on bass and vocals.
