A potpourri of items happening in our area. Send new listings to margaret.kullerstrand@nwi.com or fax (219) 933-3249

MUNSTER | July 3 and 4. Fireworks and concert July 3 at Centenial Park. Food vendors open at 6 p.m., Northwest Indiana Symphony at 7:30 p.m. and fireworks at at 9:15 p.m. Parade is July 4 with the line up at 1 p.m. and steps off at 2 p.m. Steps off Calumet Avenue and Fisher St. and ends at Town Hall.

FYI: (219) 836-6901

MERRILLVILLE | Fourth Of July Celebration July 3 and 4 at Hidden Lake Park, 6355 Broadway. Ross Township and the Town of Merrillville host a celebration featuring food vendors, live entertainment, a carnival and fireworks. Parade on July 4 at 11 a.m. starts at 80th Avenue and Broadway and proceed north to 68th and Broadway. Fireworks start each night at 9 p.m.

FYI: (219) 769-5711

BEER GARDEN FESTIVAL | Highland

6 p.m. to midnight July 3, 4 and 5 at Our Lady of Grace Parish, 3025 Highway Ave. Beer, wine, soft drinks, water and Langel's food bar will be available. A bake sale will be held after masses on Saturday and Sunday.

FYI: (219) 838-7838 or (219) 838-9094

PARADE PLANS | Lake Station

Lake Station's Fourth of July Parade will be held at 5 p.m. July 3, starting at Columbus Park, East 29th Avenue between Benton and Clay streets, and proceeding north on DeKalb Street and then east to Pike Street. Awards will be presented one hour after the parade at Riverview Park, 2701 Ripley St.

FYI: (219) 962-1700

PARADE | Highland

Fourth of July Fest, 2009 Highland, Main Square Park, 3001 Ridge Road.Fun for the whole family. Food, entertainment, arts and crafts and rides. Kiddie parade is 11 a.m. July 4, Twilight Parade is 6:30 p.m. July 3. Fireworks are at Homestead Park July 4 at 9:15 p.m. Please no pets or alcohol.

FYI: (219) 838-1080

SUNDAY BREAKFAST | South Haven

American Legion Post 502 will host an all-you-can-eat Sunday breakfast from 9 to 11 a.m. July 5 at the hall, 429 W. County Road 750 North. Breakfast will consist of biscuits and gravy, eggs, sausage, bacon, hash browns, toast, pancakes, French toast stix,drinks and more. Cost is $6 per person with reduced children's prices.

FYI: (219) 759-2121

FIREWORKS | Hebron

The Hebron Chamber of Commerce Fourth of July Fireworks will be held at dusk on July 3 on the north side of Hebron schools. Enter at the main entrance to the schools. The parade begins at 10 a.m. Saturday and will start at the Country Square Mall on Ind. 2 and continue south on Main Street then turn west onto Ind. 231 by Walgreen's and disperse in the area of Harry Brown Trucking. After the parade there will be a turtle derby in the parking lot of First Source Bank. There is a flag raising following the turtle derby.

FYI: (219) 996-5678

PARADE | Crown Point -

July Fourth Parade starts at Taft Jr. H.S., staging at 1 p.m., parade steps off at 2 p.m. Fireworks at dusk at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 889 S. Court St.

FYI: (219) 663-8731

RED HAWKS VISIT RAIL CATS | Gary

Indiana University Northwest will mark July 4 this year with an evening of baseball, fireworks and university pride, as students, athletes, faculty, staff, and alumni come out to celebrate the holiday at the Gary South Shore RailCats baseball game with true RedHawk spirit. Tickets to the game, which begins at 6 p.m., are $10 for faculty and staff and $5 for students. Students and employees who purchase their tickets on campus may also attend an all-you-can-eat pre-game buffet of chips and hot dogs at U.S. Steel Yard, sponsored by the IUN Office of Student Life and Athletics, beginning at 4:30. IUN guests will enter the park through the third-base gate. The first 2,000 fans inside the park will receive free IUN baseballs. There will be a fireworks display immediately following the game. Tickets are available in the IUN Office of Student Life, Room 217 in Savannah Hall, through today.

FYI: (219) 980-6746

FREEDOM'S EVE | Calumet City

The Calumet Memorial Park District's Freedom's Eve celebration will be held July 3 at the Superior Street Complex and T.F. North High School, 755 Pulaski Road. Celebrate with a Kiddie Karnival from 5 to 8 p.m., featuring old-fashioned games, face painting and more. Entertainment and grilled food will also be available, and at 9:15 p.m. the fireworks will begin.

FYI: (708) 862-6443 or calumetmemorialparkdistrict.com

DANCE, RAFFLE | Griffith

The Griffith Fire Department will host this year's Firefighter's Dance and Raffle from 6 p.m. to midnight July 11 at the Griffith Central Fire Station, 130 N. Lafayette St. Firefighters will be serve eat and drink while musical guest The Relics will perform. Tickets are $2.50 each and include admission to the event and entry in the cash raffle. Tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance by contacting Lt. Don Hill at (219) 545-2014. All proceeds will go directly to the Griffith Fire Department and will be used to maintain community fire prevention and safety programs and to purchase necessary life saving equipment.

FYI: (219) 545-2014

MOSAIC SANCTUARY | Crown Point

A full scale model of the Mosaic Sanctuary is on display will be at the Seventh-Day Adventist Church Northwest,10570 Randolph St., from July 4 through 12. Free tours from 1 to 7 p.m. begin every 15 minutes and last about 75 minutes. Admission is free, plenty of parking space for individuals and groups ( busses ) , restroom , hospitality facilities available. If you ever wanted to learn more about the Old testament sanctuary, you will enjoy this exhibit as it creates and the tour guide presents information as if your were alive in that period of time.

FYI: (219) 663-1612 or nwsanctuary.net

HUNGARIAN PICNIC | Merrillville

Annual Hungarian Picnic will be at 11 a.m. July 12 at St. Elijah Serbian Church grounds, 8700 Taft St. Sponsored by The Hungarian American Citizens Club, all are welcome at no charge. Hungarian sausage, goulash and desserts and other foods and beverages will be for sale, There will be music and children's playground available.

FYI: (708) 250-7132

PANCAKE BREAKFAST | Beverly Shores

St. Ann of the Dunes will hold its annual all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast is from 8 a.m. to noon July 12 on the parish grounds, south of Ind. 12 onto Broadway. Tickets are available the day of the event and are $5 for adults and $1 for ages 4 to 12.

FYI: (219) 531-2321

GARDEN WALK | Gary

The Miller Garden Club hosts its 10th annual garden walk, "Shore things: A Few of Our Favorite Gardens," July 18 and 19. The public is invited to discover the beauty of Gary's Miller Beach community and tour some of the favorite gardens that have been featured in previous walks. There will be vendors at Marquette Park. Shuttle service will be provided from the Aquatorium to each garden site. Free parking is available. Tickets are $8. A box lunch will be available for an additional fee. Tickets can be purchased at Lake Street Gallery, Ayers Realty on Lake Street or from any Miller Garden Club member.

FYI: (219) 938-1188 or millergardenclub.org

GOLF OUTING | Glenwood

New Hope Center is holding its third annual golf outing on July 17 at Glenwoodie Golf Course in Glenwood. Organizers are looking for golfers and sponsors to help raise operating revenue for their programs, provided to more than 375 adults with developmental disabilities who reside in Southeast Cook County and Northeast Will County. All inclusive golf packages are $100 per person. Golf packages include green fees, cart, lunch, refreshments on the course, family-style buffet, gifts and prizes. For the non-golfers with an appetite, their family-style buffet is also available for $25 per person. Registration and lunch is at 11 a.m. Businesses can support the event by purchasing sponsorship packages ranging from $500 to $2,500. Sponsorships include a variety of different marketing opportunities including name recognition on the welcome banner, sponsorship board and beverage holes, as well as the opportunity to set up a table, meet the golfers and volunteers, and hand out promotional

materials.

FYI: (708) 841-1071, ext. 227, or newhopecenterinc.com.