Wa Pella Ave. Celebrates 70 Years of Fourth Festivities

Mount Prospect - Residents of Wa Pella Avenue in Mount Prospect are a tight-knit group. But what may connect them the most is their love of the Fourth of July. Next Thursday, all of Mount Prospect will be celebrating the Fourth, but Wa Pella Ave. will be marking the day with a milestone celebration: 70 years of the annual patriotic block party.

Celebrating the Fourth of July in style since July 4, 1950, Wa Pella Ave. residents hold their own parade along four blocks from Lincoln Ave. to Central. Children decorate their bikes, wagons and scooters to show their patriotism. The parade ends with a block party with food, games, prizes, a DJ and face painting. The grand finale is the group balloon toss that is the signature event of the festivities.

"When you move to Wa Pella Ave., you are automatically ingrained in the Fourth of July tradition. It's the first thing neighbors let you know," Blake Hales, Wa Pella resident, said.

The Wa Pella Ave. festivities will kick off with a driveway happy hour on Wednesday, July 3.