Beating The Heat At Lakeside Park And Beach
SYRACUSE — A heat advisory with temperatures still in the upper 80s in the early evening hours of the Fourth of July was an obvious reason to head for the beach at Syracuse Lakeside Park. Even around 7 p.m. and later, there were still quite a few people cooling off in the water as lifeguards looked on to provide safety.
Many found some respite from the heat in shaded areas of the park. There were small picnics and just enjoying the company of one another. Every so often impromptu games of beach volleyball started and kids burned off youthful energy on the playground equipment.
Food vendors were set up in the park and provided ice cream, lemon shakeups, coffee, kettle corn, ice in cups and more.
Lake Area Community Band performed its annual concert beginning at 7:30 p.m. including several patriotic songs such as “The Star Spangled Banner,” “God Bless America” and others. The band also played a medley of Beach Boys songs that were hits in the early 1960s.
LACB is directed for the 2018 concert season by Joey Shepherd and his assistant, Martin Becker. Rehearsals are held every Monday evening at Wawasee Middle School.
Lakeside Park and Beach activities are provided annually by the Syracuse Parks Department and a fireworks show over Syracuse Lake caps off the evening.