With charity concert lineup set, fireworks display to be the largest in state

BANGOR – Area companies and individuals stepped up heavily and contributed over $7,000 last week, leaving just $440 to go to reach this year’s fundraising goal with just two weeks left before the annual Independence Day parade and fireworks celebration.

According to Tony Bernatche, chair of the nonprofit 4th of July Corporation, this year’s goal was set at $25,000 but with such a strong response organizers hope to allocate closer to $30,000 for both the day’s parade and fireworks, the latter of which is the largest expense of the day’s celebration. On the heels of the success of last year’s fireworks display – it was the largest Bangor area residents have seen in recent memory – Bernatche said the great response from the community this year will allow organizers to commit the additional $5,000, making this year’s display the largest in the state.

BANGOR - With Independence Day just four weeks away, the Bangor Fourth of July committee has only raised one third of what it needs for the day's festivities.

"It's very historical that a great deal of the money comes in the last two weeks, which is frightening to me [as July 4 chair]," explained Tony Bernatche. "We're looking at a $30,000 budget this year and so far we're at $9,500."

This will be Representative Doug Damon's 15th year serving as parade chair. He said this year there will be not one, but two grand marshals in the parade.

"This is a Kiwanis parade, so we have Paul Lucy, the president of the Orono-Old Town Kiwanis. He's 92 years old and flew Navy fighters in WW2. In the Korean conflict, he got called back and was a helicopter pilot. So he'll be our Kiwanis grand marshal," explained Damon. "Our parade grand marshal is the Bangor Children's Museum. They'll have a nice parade float up front."