JULY 4TH PARADE POSTER DESIGN COMPETITION LAUNCHED

DOWNTOWN AURORA - The Roosevelt-Aurora American Legion Post 84 Parade Committee is hosting a design competition for Aurora residents and students to design the 2013 Independence Day Parade poster.

The winning poster will be used to market and advertise the July 4^th parade and will be printed and distributed throughout the City. The artists of the top-3 chosen posters will be announced prior to the Grand Marshall Reception and acknowledged at the Parade.  The 1^st place winner will be invited to sit on the reviewing stand on parade day.

The grand prize in the competition is a Kindle Fire with the two runners-up each receiving gift cards.

Entries can be any size and should embrace this year’s theme, “Path to Our Freedom”.  All mediums are encouraged with the exception of colored pencils.  The deadline to enter is May 1.

“We believe that it is important to stress the importance of America’s Independence to the younger generation, but are inviting entries from people of all ages,” said committee member Marlis Marrello. 

Entries should be dropped off or mailed to Kim Granholm at Aurora Fastprint, 54 E. Galena Blvd.  More information is available by calling Marlis Marrello at 630-212-6650 or Kim Granholm at 630-896-5980. 

The Independence Day event will start with a patriotic ceremony at 9:15 a.m. Thursday, July 4 outside the Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. The parade will step off at 10:00 a.m. at the corner of Benton and River streets, marching east to Broadway Avenue, north to Galena Boulevard, west to Stolp, south to Downer Place and conclude at River St. The event is presented by the Roosevelt-Aurora American Legion Post 84 in partnership with the City of Aurora.

The Roosevelt-Aurora American Legion Post 84 was founded in 1919, and is one of the oldest posts in the State of Illinois. Their name is in memory of Quentin Roosevelt, the youngest son of President Theodore Roosevelt, who was killed in WWI in aerial combat over France on Bastille Day, July 14, 1918. The group boasts a membership of over 300 members and currently meets on the second Tuesday of every month at 9 a.m. at Elmer’s Dog House on Route 25 in Montgomery.