There’s no time left for other plans this weekend: The Lyle Independence Day celebration will be held Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

How good a celebration is this? Answer: The best. There’s free admission to all the events.

Among the highlights this year: Chuck and Dorothy Berg will be grand marshals of Sunday’s parade.

Chuck Berg is a former Lyle police chief and retired city maintenance engineer.

Both Bergs are regular contributors to the annual Lyle Area Cancer Auction each January.

Chuck is a master wood craftsman and Dorothy makes the best pies and breads around.

Their items always bring top prices at the cancer research auction.

The fun begins Friday night, when Lyle Liquor serves its turkey sandwich, potato salad and chips special from 5 to 9 p.m.

At 7 p.m. Friday, there will be a bean bag tournament at Lyle Liquor.

MJ Sounds DJ will provide the music for a dance at Lyle Liquor from 8 p.m. to midnight.

Saturday’s schedule is also filled with family fun.

Each year, the Classic Car Show gets bigger at Lyle City Park where some of the coolest rides will be on display from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The truck and tractor pull roads into action at 10 a.m. Saturday at the south end of the Lyle city limits.

Rocket Dawgs will play classic rock music at the street dance outside the Lyle American Legion Club, beginning at 8 p.m. Saturday.

Food will be served in the Legion Hall.

Then, Lyle turns red, white and blue Sunday with a variety of events designed to celebrate America’s independence.

The schedule begins with an ecumenical worship service 10 a.m. in Lyle City Park.

An antique tractor and machinery show will be offered throughout the day.

Collectors are invited to bring their classic tractors and other farm machinery to Northern Country Co-op elevator along U.S. Highway 218 South.

For more information, call Ivan Witt at (507) 325-2462 or Jeff Witt 438-2407.

Volunteers at the American Legion Post No. 105 will start serving food and refreshments 11 a.m. Sunday.

Then, the grand parade begins noon in front of Lyle Public Schools.

Parade-watchers will want to note the time change: Noon instead of the old 1 p.m. parade starting time.

Music, clowns, horses, buggies, tractors, trucks, floats, pageant queens and more will be featured in the parade.

Afterwards, there will be a flag presentation starting at 1 p.m. in Lyle City Park. That’s when the kids games also begin in Lyle City Park.

A horseshoe tournament begins at 1 p.m. outside the American Legion Hall.

They always attract the biggest crowds, the truck and tractor pullers on Saturday.

Some of the truck pullers will return for Sunday’s 1 p.m. Stump Jumpers mud bog races also at the south end of Lyle where the pull took place Saturday.

At 2 p.m. Sunday, the Ag Olympics will test all comers.

Meanwhile, the always popular kids pedal tractor pull gets started at 2 p.m.

There will be water fights outside the Lyle Fire Station beginning at3 p.m. Sunday.

Little Miss Lyle will be crowned in ceremonies at 3 p.m. Sunday at the gazebo in Lyle City Park.

Then, it’s amateur talent contest time at 4 p.m. Sunday in Lyle City Park.

For more information about entering, call Lyle City Hall at (507) 325-2311.

Then, it’s time to take a breather from the celebration schedule and wait for the giant fireworks display beginning dusk Sunday over the north end of the city’s waste water treatment plant.