March 29, 2024

New Home Run Derby highlights Newton’s Fourth of July events

American Innovations: Famous Firsts is the theme for the Greater Newton Area Chamber of Commerce Fourth of July celebration and the event is seeing a few new firsts for 2017.

Starting at 9:30 a.m. with the annual Fourth of July Parade and activities planned until the first fireworks explode in the sky at dusk, the celebration has a little something for everyone.

“Our newest event is the Home Run Derby at Agnes Patterson Park,” chamber executive director Amanda Price said. “This was something that came out of myself and Nathan Unsworth, before he left, with the parks board thinking it would be fun to have a Home Run Derby or something else at the park besides just the sand volleyball tournament..”

The derby, sponsored by Great Western Bank, will start with registration from 1 to 1:45 p.m. at the girl’s lower, north softball fields, 300 N. Fourth Ave. E. It is a free event for all ages and skill levels. The group will be divided into two with the younger participants on one field and older players on the other. Also, those 17 and under will use baseballs during the event with those 18 and up using adult softballs.

While bats are provided for each age group, starting at 5 years old, Price asks that all participates bring a helmet and glove. Medals will be awarded for first, second and third place in each age category along with a additional prizes for each first place finisher including Iowa Cub tickets and gift certificates.

To pre-register, go to www.experiencenewton.com or stop in the chamber office at 113 First Ave. W. For questions about the home run derby please contact Matt Holmes at 641-840-2416 or by email at mholmes@magnumautonewton.com.

Another first for the celebration has the children’s bounce house entertainment moving solely to Agnes Patterson Park instead of on the courthouse lawn following the parade. There will still be food vendors including the Newton Noon Kiwanis, VFW Auxiliary, Midtown Cafe and Amboy Grange selling food starting at 7:30 a.m. and following the parade.

The parade, led by grand marshal David Ratliff, expects more than 100 entrants. It will follow the same route starting at the DMACC campus south to First Avenue, east to East Fourth Street, north to North Second Avenue and finishing where it started at DMACC.

Afternoon activities kick-off at Agnes Patterson Park with the Home Run Derby and city of Newton activities, the Sand Volleyball Tournament, sponsored by Hy-Vee and the Kid Zone, sponsored by Trinity Structural Towers. The Kid Zone will feature bounce houses from 2 to 8 p.m. and food vendors will also be at the park during that time.

Live music featuring Hard Left Turn, a blues, country and rock band, sponsored by US Bank is scheduled from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. with fireworks following at dusk. The use of consumer fireworks in the parks is not allowed beyond sparklers.

The city has provided guidelines for entering and exiting the park in the afternoon. For the early afternoon events both the North Fourth Avenue East and Beltline Road entrances will be open. At 4:00 p.m., the Beltline Road entrance will close and people will need to enter through the North Fourth Avenue East entrance only. After the fireworks, the lower parking lots will exit to the Beltline Road entrance and the upper parking lot will exit to the North Fourth Avenue East entrance.

Sponsors for the event include Community Heights Alliance Church, Lonnie Portner of State Farm Insurance, Black Hills Energy, Skiff Medical Center, Newton Health Care Center, DMACC Newton Campus, Dodd’s Trash and Recycling, Noble Auto Group and 4 Points Golf Carts.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com