Llano making noise with Rock’n River Fest Fireworks
DANIEL CLIFTON • PICAYUNE EDITOR
LLANO — Imagine relaxing on the grounds of Badu Park and enjoying a spectacular fireworks display with the city of Llano and Llano River Bridge serving as a backdrop.
Well, there’s no need to dream because on July 4 at dark, that’s just what you can do as the city celebrates Independence Day with the Rock’n River Fest Fireworks.
And it’s just the way to wrap up what could be a busy day celebrating July 4 in Llano.
If you’re looking to get into the patriotic spirt, the Llano Tea Party is hosting “Celebrate Independence Day” at Robinson Park, located about 1½ miles west of downtown Llano on FM 152.
The event starts at noon with a prayer and pledges along with a rendition of “God Bless America.” You can enjoy a lunch of mesquite-grilled hamburgers and hot dogs along with salads, desserts and iced tea. There is a $10 donation requested for the meal, but children 12 and younger eat for free.
At 1 p.m., former Llano Mayor Pro-tem Mike Hazel will offer a dramatic reading of the Declaration of Independence followed by Llano County Sheriff Bill Blackburn reading the Second Amendment to the Constitution.
Texas Supreme Court Justice John Devine and Texas 3rd Court of Appeals Justice Melissa Goodwin will make some comments on the U.S. Constitution.
Now, the Llano Tea Party folks know all this (with the exception of the food) might not keep the attention of the youngsters, but they still want the kids to come out. To give the kids something to do, volunteers will be offering face painting, or children can enjoy the park playscape.
There’s also something going on for those with a flair for baking. Faith’s Door, a nonprofit offering support and resources for women, is holding its second annual Sweets Showcase & Auction on July 4 starting at 1:45 p.m. at the Llano American Legion Hall, 200 Legion Drive adjacent to Badu Park.
“Last year, we started it at the spur of the moment, and we called it the Cake Expo,” said Rhonda Herridge of Faith’s Door. “This year, we think it’s going to be even bigger.”
The showcase allows cake decorators to show off their best work. The entry is open to cakes, cookies, candy and cupcakes, but it’s really geared toward cakes. Herridge said there are a plethora of folks in the community who decorate cakes, and this gives them an opportunity to show them off.
There’s a youth division (13 and under), a novice division (14 and older) and even a professional division. The entry is $10 for youth and $15 for professional and novice for the first item. Each additional item is $10.
Check-in is 1:45 p.m. followed by a silent auction at 2:30 p.m. The judging begins at 6 p.m.
“Everything that comes in will be auctioned off,” Herridge said.
Proceeds benefit Faith’s Door. For more information on the Sweets Showcase & Auction or Faith’s Door, call Herridge at (512) 809-0285.
And what better way to cap off the day with the annual fireworks display at Badu Park.
Call the Llano Chamber at (325) 247-5354 for more information on the events.
daniel@thepicayune.com