Highland's 4th of July Festival has been cancelled this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. That includes the July 3 parade, shown in this file photo.
HIGHLAND — "We held out as long as we could," Town Council Vice President Bernie Zemen said Monday as the council canceled the town's annual 4th of July Festival in Main Square Park.
Zemen, D-1st, was also referring to the annual parade held on July 3.
Thus, Highland joins many other Northwest Indiana communities in canceling its Independence Day festivities because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Council members said it was time to give direction to the Council of Community Events, which soon must deal with vendor contracts and agreements for the five-day celebration. Currently, the state Back on Track plan calls for larger public gatherings to be permissible July 4, after the town's holiday events would have begun. And, Town Council President Mark Schocke, R-3rd, said that he recently spoke with Assistant General Counsel Cynthia Carrasco of Gov. Eric Holcomb's office.
"She advised that Lake and Marion counties are at a one-week stagger from other counties, meaning that stage five for Lake County will not commence until July 11," Schocke said. Schocke added that the governor's office is hopeful that the plan — with only the current, second, stage in the form of an executive order — can be amended if the infection rate should decrease.
"That said, in my opinion, there is no other viable option but to cancel the planned 4th of July Festival and July 3 twilight parade," Schocke said.
Schocke, a lifelong Highland resident, said he has loved the parade since age 4 and that it pains him to suggest its cancellation.
"(But) my priority is to keep our residents, employees, and volunteers safe. We're going to formally cancel both events," he said.
Councilmen Roger Sheeman, R-5th; and Tom Black, R-4th, joined the others in acknowledging the need to cancel. But it is possible that the town could salvage the fireworks, suggested Councilman Mark Herak, D-2nd. Herak also wondered if the town could hold some type of summer bash to make up for the July 4 festival.
"I'm open to that," Schocke said while suggesting an Oktoberfest type of event with a town beer garden.
The meeting, which took place strictly online, was observed by Council of Community Events President John Breslin. Schocke announced that Breslin contacted him during the meeting to advise that the CCE is indeed willing to do a fall festival.
"A vaccine fest" would be great, joked Clerk-Treasurer Michael Griffin.
To save the fireworks, the council suggested that people could observe by parking their cars and viewing from safely inside. Schocke noted that Fire Chief Bill Timmer suggested the possibility of having residents view from their cars in the parking lot by the vacant Ultra Foods plaza.
To accommodate this, the fireworks could possibly be moved from Homestead Park to Wicker Park with North Township's approval.
Schocke added that the town might seek to modify its contract with longtime fireworks provider, The Mad Bomber.
Roni and Griffin Gold
Roni and Griffin Gold, of Valparaiso, show off their face masks.
Alicia Vara
Alicia Vara and her children Guiv and Karina, of Valparaiso, mask up before they head out for some pizza.
Marzena Poreba
Marzena Poreb, of LaPorte, shows off her mask while at work.
Jason Glisan
Jason Glisan, of Valparaiso, shows off a look to combat that spread of COVID-19.
Antonio Uribe
Antonio Uribe, of Valparaiso, shows off a face covering amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Nathan Donaldson
Nathan Donaldson, of Valparaiso, shows off a mask curing the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pat Pullara
Pat Pullara, of Valparaiso, poses with her mask. Pullara "always wears lipstick, even for run to the pharmacy," she says.
Harry Bielawski
Harry Bielawski, of St. John, poses in a mask.
Jennifer Nadgerman
Jennifer Nagdeman, of Crown Point, poses with a homemade mask. "Lately, I’ve been sewing and donating masks to friends and family that need them," Nagdeman said. "Typically I’m sewing boutique clothing for children. You can find my business Jellylou Creations on Facebook!"
Cheryl Smith
Cheryl Smith, of LaPorte, sports her mask. "I work as an account manager in a local nursing home," Smith said.
Jeannie Pritchard and Bob Frankovich
Jeannie Pritchard of Crown Point and her father Bob Frankovich of Gary wait to shop at Sam's Club in Hobart on a recent day in April.
Elizabeth Castillo-Rivera
Elizabeth Castillo-Rivera, of Griffith, dons a mask amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Antwoine Johnson
Antwoine Johnson, of Valparaiso, shows off his mask amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Richard Dvorscak
Richard Dvorscak, of Town Of Pines, wears a mask amid the coronavirus crisis.
Mary Kerley
Mary Kerley, of St. John all suited up and masked for her job as an ER nurse at UChicago Medicine.
Joseph McCullough
Joseph McCullough, of Hobart, poses while wearing a mask amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tiffany Collins
Tiffany Collins, of Hobart, shows off her mask while working at the Hobart Animal Clinic.
Susan El-Naggar
"I am sporting a leopard COVID-19 mask to coordinate with my black faux fur coat," said Susan El-Naggar, of Valparaiso. "As an interior designer, it’s important to dress in style in or out of quarantine!"
Debbie Walton Sexton
Debbie Walton Sexton, of Valparaiso, shows off a mask.
Danie Collins
Danie Collins, of Crown Point, wears a mask during the coronavirus pandemic.
Beth Hobbs
Beth Hobbs, of Highland, poses for a selife while wearing a mask amid the coronavirus crisis.
Natalie Ladd
Natalie Ladd, of Schererville, poses for a selife while wearing a mask amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Troy and Jennifer McQuen
Troy and Jennifer McQuen, of Crown Point, show off the masks they made for their cats amid the coronavirus pandemic.
John Gescheidler
John Gescheidler and dog Mandy, of Dyer, show off their masks amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
Jessica Trunk
Jessica Trunk, of Portage, shows off a mask amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Speros Batistatos
Speros Batistatos and his sister-in-law, Tracey Lokomek, go shopping at Strack's for their families.
Chris and Teri Grotte
Chris and Teri Grotte from Porter show off their masks. "This photo is from our one and only Costco trip during this crisis," Terri said.
Sean and Kieran Harris
Sean and Kieran Harris, of Hessville/Hammond, show off their Batman masks.
Archie Gallup
Archie Gallup, of Chesterton, shows off his mask while at work.
Tee Bettelyoun
Tee Bettelyoun of Michigan City wears a mask.
Christiana Howton
Christiana Howton from Chesterton shows off a mask amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Orville Redenbacher statue
The Orville Redenbacher statue sports a colorful knit mask in Valparaiso's Central Park.
Masked benefactor
Doc's Smokehouse co-owner Brent Brashier sports a BBQ-themed surgical mask while donating boxed lunches from his Dyer business to front-line health care providers at Franciscan Health in Dyer.
