2025 Antwerp Day in the park
By: Angel Steiner
Last Saturday, August 9, 2025, Antwerp’s Annual Day in the Park took place — a day full of food, fun … and SWEAT! It was indeed a scorcher, but that did not stop families from venturing to Main Street and River Street to start the morning with the parade. MC’d by Rotarian Barry DeLong, more than 20 parade entries made their way downtown to kick off the festivities at Riverside Veterans Memorial Park in Antwerp.
The Antwerp Rotary Club sponsored the event and pulled out all the stops to make it a thriving day for both the Antwerp community and out-of-towners looking to wrap up the summer with a local festival.
The Antwerp Community Band and Island Vibe entertained festival-goers throughout the afternoon at the main pavilion. Food vendors from various area organizations served hundreds of meals during the lunch hour and into the afternoon. From fried bologna and chili cheese dogs to hand-dipped corn dogs and the ever-famous Archer Burger, appetites were more than satisfied.
Rotarians were hard at work throughout the day, checking in on vendors to ensure they had everything they needed, and manning both the main pavilion and the silent auction booth to keep things running smoothly.
The Antwerp Boy Scout troop honored the American flag with a traditional flag retirement ceremony narrated by Scoutmaster and Rotarian Mark Greenwood.
The Antwerp Spanish Club enjoyed their dunk tank booth, as youth and adults alike attempted to dunk High School Principal Jessie Arnold and Superintendent Marty Miller — and several successful dunks were made! It was certainly a perfect day to be in the water.
Even in the sweltering heat, many people enjoyed this end-of-summer tradition. You don’t have to go far for a good time or good food. To the Antwerp Rotary Club — job well done!
