City of Evanston Blog
Walt Disney and the 4th of July in Evanston
Evanston celebrates the 4th of July bigger and better than most communities
An independent non-profit, the Evanston 4th of July Association sponsors the event with private funding for the parade and fireworks. The City helps with Police, Fire and Public Works assistance.
I heard last year a story about the role that Walt Disney played in the parade. As I heard the story, Walt Disney was hired to put on a great show at what was then Dyche Stadium on the 4th of July for the City's Centennial in 1963. The proceeds of the show were then the initial endowment for the 4th of July Association. It has had me thinking about a similar show in 2013 for the 150th Anniversary.
4th of July planning was a topic at the weekly meeting of the City Department Directors today and I mentioned the Walt Disney story. Fire Chief Greg Klaiber is on the 4th of July Association Board and he mentioned the home movie from 1957 now on You Tube showing Walt Disney, Fess Parker and the original mouseketeers in the parade. Central Street looks exactly today as it did in 1957.
Chief Klaiber reported that all is going well in planning for this year's events. It is a special day!!
UPDATE 12/05/11: I have heard from a resident that informs me that the Walt Disney's grand show in Evanston was in 1957 (per video above), not in 1963.
I thought this was Hartzell St, not Central (the parade used to be held on Hartzell and the homes in the background do NOT look at all like Central St per the text in this blog).
July 8, 2011 5:43 AM