‘Home Means Fallon’ rings in Independence Day

The theme of “Home Means Fallon” rings in this year’s Fourth of July parade that begins at 10 a.m. on Thursday.

Entries in this year’s annual parade will show the pride and meaning of Fallon and what it means to live in the Oasis of Nevada.

According to David Ernst of the Churchill County Parks and Recreation Department, the grand marshals are Huck Salt and Hiskett and Sons. Huck Salt has been family owned and operated since 1938 and provides salt products to Northern Nevada and the surrounding areas.

Hiskett and Sons is another longtime Fallon business that deals in ready mixed concrete, sand and gravel.

The parade route heads east for one block, moves south in front of the American Legion Hall to Williams Avenue and then east two more blocks to Maine Street. From there, the route goes south to the middle school. Categories include Best Use of Theme, Most Creative, Best Youth Group, Best Civic/Non Profit Group, Best Business Entry, Best Mounted Individual, Best Mounted Group, Best Farm Equipment, Best Automobile, Best Military and People’s Choice.

After the parade is Picnic in the Park and fun day at the Churchill County Fairgrounds and later that night at dusk (about 9 p.m.), fireworks light up the Nevada sky from the Rattlesnake Raceway.

Racing at Rattlesnake has been a staple of Fourth of July activities in the Lahontan Valley. The evening will feature points racing, dwarfs and karts. The pit opens at 2 p.m., and racing is slated to begin at 6 p.m.

All federal, state and local government office will be closed on Thursday as will financial institutions. Naval Air Station Fallon will be operating a holiday schedule. Check with the individual government offices and businesses for Friday hours.

The weather forecast for the long Fourth of July weekend calls for sunny skies with lows in the mid to upper 50s and highs reading near 100 by the weekend. The expected high for Independence Day is the upper 80s, low 90s.

The is expecting a busy weekend at Lahontan Reservoir. With the spring and early summer runoff, the lake’s level is at 307,000 acre feet, just below its 308,000 acre-feet capacity. For those families and individuals heading to Lake Tahoe, the lake is also at capacity, and big crowds are expected for the weekend.

In addition to Lahontan State Park, Rye Patch State Park and Fort Churchill State Park also offer beach picnicking spots, hiking trails, campgrounds and more.

Park entry or camping and boating prices are slightly cheaper for Nevada residents. Sites are on a first-come, first-served basis. The parks are expected fill up for the long weekend, but if you want your ideal beach spot, arrive early. There are no sites with power, but there are some paved spots in Silver Springs. For information, call the Churchill Ranger Station at 775-577-2226.