Michigan City becomes hub of community and youth support during Patriotic Parade and Braden Fiske Family Fun Day celebration

It was a day of fun for the whole family in Michigan City as the city hosted its annual Patriotic Parade, as well as the return of the Braden Fiske Family Fun Day at Ames Field. The two free events demonstrated the pride Michigan City and its residents have in their community and country.

The day began with the Patriotic Parade, a celebration of America’s 250th anniversary featuring over 100 local and regional organizations and individuals. This included the Michigan City High School Marching Wolves; elected state officials Frank Mrvan, Rodney Pol, Jr., and Randy Novak; community favorites like Burn ‘Em Brewing; and Mayor Angie Nelson-Deuitch. Braden Fiske, Los Angeles Rams defensive end and Michigan City native, returned as grand marshal.

The free parade is something many residents and visitors look forward to ahead of the Fourth of July.

“Every year it grows,” Nelson-Deuitch said. “We have a lot of youth organizations, churches, military installments, and elected officials. I’m also excited to have some young people from the baseball league walking with us this year. It’s awesome to see everybody out and enjoying the parade.”

The parade marched down Franklin Street to Ames Field, where Michigan City Special Events and Michigan City Area Schools (MCAS) welcomed guests with music, games, and more to the Braden Fiske Family Fun Day.

“We’re so proud of Braden for making it to the NFL and for coming back to give back to the community. It shows that people from Michigan City have a heart and a lot of pride in their city,” Nelson-Deuitch said. “It speaks volumes to the youth here.”

The fun day featured something for the whole family: bounce houses, a live DJ, food trucks, and fun games like cornhole. It was also an opportunity for giving. Attendees could receive free haircuts and join in on activities led by Michigan City High School’s athletic teams, and they could participate in raffles benefitting MCAS.

For Fiske, who was on site signing autographs and engaging with the community, having the chance to come back to his hometown and help the next generation of students succeed is incredibly important.

“Community leaders should come back and shine a light on what’s important. For me, that’s bringing everybody together,” he said. “We didn’t want to just do another football camp; we wanted to do something where all the kids and their families could be involved.”

Finding ways to support the current youth population throughout the Region is imperative to both community wellness and future growth and success. The Braden Fiske Family Fun Day makes doing so fun and engaging.

“It’s important for the youth to have role models who they can aspire to be like,” Nelson-Deuitch said. “Family Fun Day brings everybody out to hang out with Braden and check out the different services at the event as well.”

Once the party at Ames Field concluded, guests were encouraged to head to Zorn Brew Works for the ticketed Great Futures Charity Concert supporting Boys & Girls Clubs of La Porte County.

“Making an impact on the youth of the community is the most important thing to me,” Fiske said. “This community is special. That’s why I want to come back each and every year to continue to try to make an impact.”

Follow Michigan City Special Events on Facebook to stay up-to-date about all of the fun summer activities planned in Michigan City this year, including the upcoming Singing Sands Sand Sculpting Festival beginning on July 17.

Visit michigancityin.gov to learn more about the City of Michigan City.