The city of Miami's 15th Annual Pre-4th of July Celebration will be held Saturday, June 28.

During the event, there will be a baby contest in the Miami Community Center Building. Registration will be until 3 p.m. the day of the event, with the contest at 3:30 p.m. Entry fee is $5.

A parade will be going through town at 4:30 p.m. Anyone who wants to participate may register by 3:30 p.m., including floats, antique engines and tractors, antique cars, horses, children floats and a special Comedy Float.

The whole hog roast will be serving from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Advance tickets are $7 for adults and $3.50 for children; tickets at the door are $8 for adults and $4 for children. Tickets may be purchased from Gary Taylor, any city council member or any pre-4th of July committee member. Meat cooked on site that day.

A raffle, with items donated by various merchants, will benefit the Miami Community Center. Raffle tickets are $1 apiece or six for $5.

There will be kids games and a fireworks display at dark at the water tower. Attendees should bring blankets or lawn chairs.

For more information, contact Rita Taylor at 660-852-3298.

"Impromtu Parade" to be held again

Dubbed the "Impromptu Parade," Arrow Rock's July 4th parade has been a tradition in the village of 79 people for more than 20 years. It takes place every Independence Day at 1 p.m. and, as the name implies, there is little organization, no entry fee and no prizes.

All parade participants are invited to gather at the west end of Main Street near the Old School House at 12:45 p.m., and at 1 p.m. they will march to the east end, led by the Arrow Rock Fire Department and the DAR color guard carrying a hand-crocheted American flag.

Visitors to the village are encouraged to take in the matinee production of "West Side Story" at the Lyceum Theatre.

Call 660-837-3311 for tickets for the 2 p.m. show of this professional Broadway-caliber theater. Attendees can also visit any of the other Arrow Rock attractions.

Arrow Rock is located 14 miles north of Interstate 70 at Exit 98 on Highway 41.

Candidates invited to stump in Arrow Rock

Candidates for statewide political office have been invited to participate in some old-fashioned stump speaking in Arrow Rock at 5 p.m. Saturday, July 5, on the Old Tavern lawn.

In the early days of Missouri statehood, Arrow Rock was an important political center and was often host to lively political debates, as captured by artist George Caleb Bingham in his 1853 work, "Stump Speaking."

Organizers of this year's stump speaking event hope to revive that tradition and give all statewide candidates the opportunity to present their views on issues of importance to rural Missouri.

Some of the topics candidates will be encouraged to address are: confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs), heritage tourism, historic preservation, sustainable agriculture and threats to state parks and historic sites. All participating candidates will be given equal time to speak.

The event is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets.