The Second Annual Independence Day Celebration has come and gone at Chapman Park, with attendees left awed by the fireworks Saturday. Sponsors and contributors for the second annual Independence Day Celebration included many area businesses, a listing of which appears at the end of this article.

Starting at 3 p.m. Saturday, the Celebration included five bounce houses for the kids, lawn bowling, and multiple food vendors including Derks Farms Beef, Stanley Theater Popcorn, and Melissa’s Eggrolls, as well as a craft show and live music. Event goers could also enjoy a beer tent, bean bag tournament, face painting and glitter tattoos, as well as axe throwing and laser tag. Team USA football drills were also available, as was a bike raffle and duck pond.

Repeated from last year’s festivities was a flag folding ceremony near the bandstand with Stanley Fire and the Legion/VFW, Marthamae Kottschade giving the meaning for each fold.

Come fireworks time chairs lined the south bank of Chapman Lake, while crowds to the west and on the beach augmented the spectator ranks. Fireworks took off from Fandry Park, the show opening with a 21 gun salute and TAPS, quoting from documents like the Declaration of Independence. A siren went off to announce the fireworks, followed with the sky lighting up shortly thereafter. So how was it?

“Spectacular!” recounted one event goer of the light show that began with slight delay after dark. Sponsors for the Second Annual Independence Day Celebration include the following, in alphabetical order:

Ace Ethanol

AV Live Disc Jockeys

Built Rite

Broadway Boutique

Cody’s Classic Cars

Courtesy Ford

Chwala’s Construction Inc.

Citizen’s State Bank

Christoph Trucking

Debbie’s on Broadway LLC

Derks Farms Beef

DJ’s Mart

Ele’s Flowers

Forward Bank

Forward Insurance

Fredrickson Implement

Gibb’s Affordable Septic and Sand Pumping

Hansen’s IGA Market - Stanley

Hazuga’s True Value

Insane Imaging

Kelly Grill

Kwik Trip

LaGrander’s Hillside Dairy, Inc.

Marc-On Shooting

Midwest Well Drilling & Hydrofracking and Midwest Drillers

Moretti Pyrotechnics

Martino’s Restaurante

Modern Beauty Salon

Precision Tire & Auto

Print Wisconsin

Reclaimed Tavern

Reit’s Garden Center

Sons of the Legion (Thorp)

Stanley American Legion

Stanley Movie Theater

Stanley Rodeo

Stanley Truck and Tractor Pull

Stanley Truck Sales Inc.

Stanley VFW

Stanley A & W

The Stanley Republican

Tom’s Stanley Bar and Bowl

Tessy’s Popcorn Delights

Twilight Zone

Westaby Trucking

Wisconsin Veteran Farm LLC & Winery

Wundrow Auto Repair LLC

In addition, bean bag board sponsors were as follows:
1881 Nutrition

Bliss Salon & Spas

Courtesy Ford

Courtesy Trailer Sales

Debbie’s on Broadway LLC

Hazuga’s True Value

Insane Imaging

Kelly Grill

May’s Auto Sales and Service

Oemig’s Sport Shop LLC

Reclaimed Tavern

Revive Therapeutic Massage

Tolley’s Bowl and Bar

Tom’s Stanley Bar and Bowl

Twilite Zone

Whiteout Drywall and Painting Inc.