A July 4th Celebration at the Soldiers’ Home in Petworth

Postcard via Friends of the Soldiers’ Home

This sounds great! Thanks to all who sent emails:

A July 4th Celebration

Family Fun* Local Food Vendors* Children’s Fishing* Hiking* Biking*
Picnicking* Jogging* Soccer* Touch Football* Kickball* Tug of War*
Balloon Twisting*

Watch the fireworks on the National Mall from one of the best vantage points in Washington, D.C., on the grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home!

Wednesday, July 4, 2012, 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., on the southern grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home, Washington, D.C. (Entrance at Rock Creek Church Road and Randolph Street)

Continues after the jump.

FOOD
Carry in picnic food and drink or purchase from these vendors courtesy
of Grey DC :

· Lemon Grass Truck : We serve Vietnamese Cuisine. The menu
features 4 main items; banh mi, tacos, vermicelli noodles, and salad.
All are topped with either lemongrass chicken or slow roasted pork. We
will also be serving Bubble Tea!

· Captain Cookie : Captain Cookie and the Milk Man is a bakery
truck that serves fresh-baked cookies, local creamery milk and
made-to-order ice cream sandwiches

· PapsJuices, LLC : I produce my own juices from the freshest
and finest Roots, Fruits Flowers in the world.

· Los Verracos : In 2009, some friends in New Jersey/New York
came together over a mutual admiration and respect of pork and all of
its wonders. They decided they wanted to find a way to share this
passion with friends and family. Los Verracos Supper Club was born.

· We are Humble Pie! We offer updated, rustic
interpretations of classic American pie flavors using seasonal, local
produce and handmade all-butter crust. Plus, each tart fits in the
palm of your hand!

· Sugar High Bakery , a selection of baked goods with a twist.
I bake everything from cakes to cookies to cupcakes, making sure to
keep everything both tasty and fun ! For samples of my work, you can
check out my blog here and see other samples of my work on Facebook
here .

CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES

Trout Unlimited , the nation’s foremost organization for restoring
fisheries, is supplying volunteers and donating 20 fishing poles and
bait for children to use at the Soldiers Home fishing ponds stocked
with fish. Catch-and-release fishing will occur from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

In addition to fishing we will have organized activities including
soccer, touch football, kickball and tug of war. Thanks to Park View
Kids Zone for helping supply equipment. Why go to the Mall when you
can watch the fireworks from some of the high ground right here at the
Soldiers Home? Fireworks begin shortly after 9 p.m.

Also featuring KazooTheBalloonMaker.com : Serving the DC metro area,
Kazoo specializes in advanced, multi-balloon creations that are sure
to make the kids smile and amaze the adults. No simple dogs or swords
here. Available for parties and events of all kinds.

Just when you thought our July 4 community celebration couldn’t get
any better, this happens:

Introducing: THE MUSIC MAN, DJ extraordinaire

His real name is Billy G. White, he is a resident at the Soldiers Home
and a Vietnam veteran. We are grateful he has agreed to share his
talents for the July 4 celebration. He bumps up this event more than a
few notches, as we now add “dancing in the street” to a celebration
that includes local food vendors, children’s fishing in the ponds,
watching the National Mall fireworks, biking, hiking, picnicking,
jogging, soccer, kickball, etc.

We are so appreciative the Armed Forces Retirement Home, located on a
250-acre wooded campus, is opening its scenic lower grounds so that we
can enjoy its large, rolling manicured field (normally a golf driving
range) with a view of the Washington monument for picnicking and
playing. We also have access to its roads to hike or bike, its pond
stocked with fish and the pleasant breezes of the kind our 16th
president enjoyed. Our vendors and DJ will be set up on a car-less
road shaded by large trees.

We are encouraging Home residents and staff to come on down and join
us so we can thank them in person, and we hope and expect many to do
so!

Here’s more good news — the advance forecast for July 4 looks like it
will be hot, but no rain.

Reminders:

— Our event starts at 4 p.m. on July 4 and goes until the fireworks
end, about 9:30 p.m.

— If at all possible bring lawn chairs or blankets to sit on. We have
a vast open expanse to enjoy, but little to no seating

— Remember parking is limited, so bike/walk/metro/bus if you can

— Bring in your favorite food and drink, as long as it is not in a
glass container, but we also hope you will support our vendors

— Friends of the Soldiers Home volunteers will greet you at the main
gate when you arrive to orient you and answer any questions