Shopper_7_25_24_

http://www.thebattlecreekshopper.com BATTLE CREEK SHOPPER NEWS Thursday, July 25, 2024 25

PRIDE

Continued from Page 24

See FESTIVAL on 26

CROSSWORD

Puzzles on page 19

Word Search Answers

Puzzle Answers

Athens Homecoming

Schedule of EventsSchedule of Events

2024 Homecoming Sponsors

Silver

Athens Area Community

Foundation Youth Fund

Athens Area Historical

Society

Athens Auto Supply

Chad B. Spencer,

Attorney

Consumers Energy

Copper Kettle Restaurant

GreenMark Equipment (toys)

Knowles Excavating

Lighthouse Funeral

& Cremation

Lonn B. Spencer Agency,

Inc.

MECWARF VFW Post #5319

Office Lounge & Restaurant

Friday, July 2Friday, July 2 6 6 main stage - sponsored by FireKeepers Casino Hotel

6:00pm – 7:00pm Bethi Lewis & the Electric Pineapple Band

7:00pm – 7:30pm Homecoming Queen Candidate Interviews

7:30pm – 8:15pm Band resumes

8:15pm – 8:30pm Homecoming Queen announced

8:30pm – 9:30pm Band resumes

Saturday, July 27Saturday, July 27

7:00am – 10:00am Athens Fire Dept. Pancake Breakfast (Township Hall)

9:00am – 10:30am Parade registration (Athens High School)

10:00am – 9:00 pm Midway rides & games open (sponsored by Athens Area

Community Foundation)

10:00am – 6:00pm Wild World Adventure Petting Zoo (sponsored by Kids’ Time)

10:45am – 11:00am Kids parade (sponsored by the Athens Youth Council)

(Start at Lighthouse Funeral & Cremation parking lot)

11:00am – noon Grand Parade (sponsored by Lyster Contracting, Inc.)

Noon – 1:00pm Athens Fire Dept. Chicken dinner (Township Hall)

12:30pm – 1:30pm Opening Ceremony & Awards (main stage – sponsored by

FireKeepers Casino Hotel)

1:00pm – 4:00p Kids’ drawing registration (information booth)

1:30pm – 2:00p Kids water balloon toss

2:00pm – 4:30pm County Line Band

4:30pm – 5:30pm Critchlow’s Alligator Sanctuary presentation

5:30pm – 6:00pm Kids’ Prize Drawing Giveaway (sponsored by BT Piping)

6:00pm – 8:00pm Randy Rigle Karaoke

• Inflatables & games are back! • Animal petting zoo• Inflatables & games are back! • Animal petting zoo


• Alligator show by Critchlow’s Alligator Sanctuary• Food trucks and vendors• Alligator show by Critchlow’s Alligator Sanctuary• Food trucks and vendors


• Fun for the whole family!• Fun for the whole family!

Platinum

Athens Area Community

Foundation

Athens Youth Council

FireKeepers Casino Hotel

Village of Athens

Gold

Athens Fire Department Auxiliary

BT Piping

Kids Time, Inc.

Lyster Contracting, Inc.

Savoy Energy, L.P.

Southern Michigan Bank & Trust

Stanton Farms

J.R. and Kacie Brunner

Community members march with pride in the Friday night parade. (Shopper

News photo by Shelly Kehrle-Sulser)

Kellogg Co., the Battle Creek

Community Foundation, Denso,

Zootopia, American Legion Post

#298, Marshall Pride, Battle Creek

Public Schools, PNC Bank, United

Methodist Churches, as well as fami-

lies, the City of Battle Creek fire and

police departments.

Battle Creek City Commissioner

Roger Ballard attended the parade

and following drag show in front

of Café Rica with his husband, Jim

Eldridge.

“This is part of the reason I ran

for city commission,” he said, “As a

city commissioner, this means that

everybody that’s down here is enjoy-

ing themselves and that the City of

Battle Creek is an inclusive city. It’s

very important in this day and age

to keep violence down and to have

everybody care for another person

and that’s what we’re about.”

Spencer had high praise for not

only the BC Pride core group of offi-

cers and board members, but for all

of the volunteers, sponsors and par-

ticipants for making the celebration

possible.

Pride is held in July in Battle

Creek, Spencer has said, so that

Battle Creek Pride can support simi-

lar events happening in other com-

munities during June Pride Month

and so people from other commu-

nities can attend the Battle Creek

event.

“I would say that there is a lot