A ‘quintessential American town’: New Glen Ellyn volunteer organization plans July 4th celebration, new drone show

His house is right on the Fourth of July parade route in Glen Ellyn.

He plans on having hot dogs — he’s got a popcorn machine, too — for a gathering of parade spectators that’s taken on a life of its own.

“I love bringing the community together. I love celebrating America, and I love the opportunity to just have a good hometown family fun day,” Dan Miekina said.

Which makes him the man for the job of leading the Glen Ellyn Independence Day Foundation, a new, entirely volunteer organization behind an amped-up celebration for America’s 250th year.

“The committee that we’ve established has done a phenomenal job with planning,” Miekina said.

Glen Ellyn is one of those towns that does Fourth of July right. The village’s Volunteer Fire Co. — sense a theme, here? — displays a giant, crisp flag downtown. Antique cars and a DeLorean with some guy in a Marty McFly puffy vest have been part of parades of years past. And Glen Ellyn’s heart-thumping fireworks show ranks as one of the best in the ‘burbs.

The setting might have something to do with that. “See You At The Lake,” reads the last banner in the parade. Fireworks seem all the louder over Lake Ellyn, surrounded by mighty trees, a kind of outdoor amphitheater. Pro tip: the Glenbard West football bleachers are a good viewing spot if you didn’t snag a seat on the Lake Ellyn Boathouse deck.

“I think anybody who walks around Glen Ellyn, walks around our Main Street, our lake, all the things that make Glen Ellyn what it is, it is really a quintessential American town,” said Bethany Snyder, the parade chair. “I think that it represents a lot of what is great in America: community, friendship, being civic-minded.”

After the parade and neighborhood get-togethers comes Round 2: A skydiving demonstration shortly before dusk, a new addition — a drone show — in honor of the nation’s semiquincentennial and the fireworks display immediately following, all at Lake Ellyn.

“It’s just a good day to remember where this country has gone in just 250 years is truly remarkable, and I think that’s part of the reason that I find this day to be so important,” Miekina said.

The drones will vividly portray the theme of the 2026 festivities — “Stars & Stripes Over Glen Ellyn: 250 Years of American Spirit” — by forming patriotic symbols in the sky in addition to village landmarks and high school logos.

“I feel that sense of community is important. That’s Glen Ellyn. That’s America. While we all have differences and approaches to life and things like that, we’re all in this together,” Miekina said.

The volunteer-led foundation makes it all happen through its fundraising efforts. The Mike and Judi Theriault Family and the Midge Avery Anderson Memorial Foundation, so named for town historian Dan Anderson’s late wife, are “Freedom Sponsors.” The village board approved a $10,000 contribution with the adoption of the 2026 budget. The board last month approved $35,000 in additional funding to further support the celebration.

“I’ve been a resident here for 14 years, and it was maybe five years ago I realized that the village isn't responsible for putting this on. I love the Fourth of July so much, so I figured, let me help in any way that I can,” Miekina told the board earlier this year.

As of this week, the parade entry count was up to about 65 various groups expected to participate.

“We have quite a few bands that are coming. We’ve got the Jesse White Tumblers that are always a big hit,” Snyder said.

As a newer resident — she’s lived in Glen Ellyn for about two years — Snyder remembers how surprised she was to see how early people set up for the Fourth.

“There’s a real buzz in the air about it,” she said.

And something else.

“That neighborliness really shines on the Fourth of July,” Snyder said.

Miekina and his family exemplify that.

“Much to my wife’s chagrin, I’ve bought a hot dog machine. I got a popcorn machine, so I’ll be kicking off the parade with the committee and then spending some time at my house with hopefully 200 of my closet friends, watching it all come together.”