By Dan Shriner
Review Editor
The Lake Orion Lions Jubilee will return to fill downtown Lake Orion with plenty of fun for children and adults on June 19-22.
The Lions are touting the extravaganza as ‘Back to the Village? as the carnival, beer tent and assorted fun and games will be in downtown Lake Orion. For the past two years the event was held at Canterbury Village due to streetscape work in downtown Lake Orion.
There was some clamor to return to downtown and the Lions Club worked with Lake Orion officials to make it happen.
For Lion Joe Hildebrand, the return downtown is a return to tradition.
‘Everyone has been great to work with in Lake Orion,? Hildebrand said. The city manager, police chief ? everyone has helped to make it happen.?
Hildebrand said the Jubilee just did not seem the same outside of the village.
‘The Orion area has two traditions that define summer ? the Lions Jubilee and the fireworks at the 4th of July,? Hildebrand said in a news release. ‘It used to be that one complimented the other. What could be better? Having both of these traditions again.?
The Lions are bringing back the beer tent for the Jubilee. A half-hour fireworks show is set for Saturday, at 10 p.m. after village officials approved the request for a permit on Monday night at the village meeting. If it rains the fireworks will occur Sunday evening.
Officials also extended the carnival and beer tent hours Saturday night from 11 p.m. until midnight, and if the rain date occurs, hours will be extended from 6 p.m. until 11 p.m. Sunday. The beer tent and carnival will be open from noon to 11 p.m. Friday, and noon until 6 p.m. Sunday unless the fireworks are held that evening.
For adults, the beer tent will be in the municipal parking lot, near the fire station. It will be large, about 80-by-80, and will include live bands. The entertainment will include bands on Friday and Saturday evenings and Elvis Presley tribute singer Ray Rouse on Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m.
For kids of all ages, the downtown area will be filled with carnival rides by Skerbeck, a Escanaba-based company that is very well-run and highly respected.
The Lions Club is providing free shuttle service from its property on Miller Road at the intersection with Flint Street and Orion Road and from the Lake Orion School Administration building off Church Street for people attending the Jubilee. The shuttle bus will make a loop going from Miller Road to the Jubilee and then to the schools building on Lapeer Street and to the Jubilee again and back to Miller Road to make the loop another time. The shuttles will be available from noon to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Hildebrand said many local businesses helped to bring the fireworks to the downtown area for the Jubilee.
‘The fireworks will be shot from barges in the bay off of Greens Park, the same location as the traditional fireworks shows in the recent past. The Village of Lake Orion will allow free entry into Green’s Park for the fireworks show.?
The Lions will place trash containers at various locations along M-24 through town for people to dispose of their trash. They are asking that everyone coming to the event pick up after themselves and leave the town like it was prior to the fireworks. The Lions will be out Sunday morning cleaning up and hauling away the trash containers. One of the show’s sponsors, Waste Management, will provide trash containers.
The Lake Orion Review is also a sponsor.
Those businesses and individuals wanting to donate to the Jubilee fireworks may do so by visiting the website at www.LakeOrionLions.org and clicking on our fireworks link. Donations can also be mailed to: The Lake Orion Lions Club, PO Box 255, Lake Orion MI 48361. The Lake Orion Lions Club is a 501 (c)(3) Non-Profit Organization.