Ice cream social and band concert a ‘very American’ part of Dixon’s Petunia Festival

DIXON - The Old Lee County Courthouse lawn was packed with folks in lawn chairs and the air filled with laughter.

The Petunia Festival’s ice cream social and Dixon Municipal Band concert on Friday brought family, friends, and the community out to commemorate the Fourth of July weekend holiday.

The air was filled with patriotic music as families joined in a circle of lawn chairs while children chased one another, waving little flags and clutching red, white, and blue pinwheels.

The sight of scampering children put a smile on the face of returning flutist Patty Crumley, as she made her way across the lawn to join her band.

“I love playing and supporting the community and was glad to help,” Crumley said. “I’ve been playing the flute for about 45 years, and it means so much that my dad still comes out to see me play. It had been a while since I played this event with the band, and when they asked me to play last Christmas, I jumped at the chance.”

Among the crowd, there was a sense of tranquility: A shared feeling, the welcomed return to normalcy since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s been nice to get back out and have the community come together. I think everyone was really missing this,” Angela Haws said.

“Because of COVID, our youngest hasn’t had many opportunities like this, and we wanted to get out of the house and have a good time,” Cameron Blaine said. “I grew up in a big city where events like this were few and far between. I’ve lived here for the past ten years now, and we really enjoy having events like this for our kids. We introduced the kids to the community, the fire department, and the police. To show them the faces behind the badge.”

Lt. Eric Bergemann of the Dixon Fire Department was on hand with fellow firefighters Brad Basler and Dave Boucher to help kids explore the inside of a fire truck, answer questions, and pass out free stickers. Children got up close with several specialized vehicles, including an ambulance, a farm tractor, and a Dixon Police Department squad car.

“We are out here for the kids, showing them what it looks like inside the police car and letting them play with the lights and sirens. Interacting with the community and just having a good time is what the Petunia Festival is all about,” officer Nico Diaz said.

Cody Hill of Dixon is a fifth-generation farmer and believes small-town community gatherings like these are part of the fabric of America.

“I love the Fourth of July,” he said. “It’s always been one of my favorite holidays and I love the chance to celebrate with people face-to-face. People spend so much time on social media that they tend to forget how nice it is to come together. This is what it’s all about.”

“It’s just such a nice tradition. The band playing, fireworks down by the river, it’s a very homey tradition. This moment. It’s very American,” Cindy Wadsworth said.

Wadsworth and her mother, JoAnne Whitcombe, came to watch the Dixon Municipal Band perform. Several members of the Whitcombe family, including former Lee County State’s Attorney Paul Whitcombe and their father, Tom Whitcombe, have performed in the concert for several years.

This enduring festival is part of the charm and character of Dixon.

A nod back to simpler times and small-town values.

A little slice of Americana cooling on the windowsill.