Happy birthday America

America's 232nd birthday was celebrated Friday in the Mid-Valley a number of ways, including with a picnic, a parade, and soggy cardboard.

On Ellis Lake in Marysville, 24 two-person teams of kids took part in the 14th annual Marysville Great American Cardboard Boat Races, sponsored by the city and Exchange Club of Marysville.

The idea is fairly simple: Build a boat using nothing but the providing cardboard, plastic sheeting and duct tape, plus any non-floatable decorative items.

And decorative items abounded. Boat designs included a canoe, pirate ship and a shark.

Tina Hendricks, 10, and Bitsy West, 9, used a small beach ball and pinwheels to make the centerpiece of their boat a butterfly.

"We just picked it," Bitsy said.

"It was on our list, and it was the easiest to make," Tina added.

Many boats went with the holiday, with stars and stripes abounding.

The Vegas, 11-year-old Alex and 9-year-old Austin, topped off the Americana of their entry with matching Uncle Sam hats.

"We just wanted to get the best decorative ... we wanted to be patriotic and stuff," Alex said.

The boys wound up as runner-ups in that category.

While creative engineering abounded on shore, that didn't necessarily equate to effective engineering once the boat met water.

Once actual racing started, it became quickly apparently why, along with awards for the best design and fastest times, there's also a "Titanic Award" for the most entertaining sinking.

But style and function weren't always in opposition. The Lopez brothers, 10-year-old Mitchell and 8-year-old Duncan, sailors of the previously mentioned shark, also paddled their way to a first-place finish in the 8-11 age division.

Mitchell trusted his ship enough to want to stay out on the lake.

"Can I go back out?" he yelled as the shark crossed the finish line.

The answer was no.

In Wheatland, there was no lake, but plenty of water balloons.

About 200 people came to the city's Fourth of July Picnic at C Street Park.

Most of the adults sat under blue and white tents playing bingo. Children climbed on playground equipment, hung out near the dunk tank, or played the change your clothes race and water balloon toss.

Joshua Bragg, 8, and Zack Bodey, 11, won the first round of the water balloon toss. Joshua won a Frisbee and Zack won a Super Soaker.

"I'm probably going to squirt my dad," Zack said, explaining his dad wouldn't get mad.

The boys said they came to the event with their families for fun, but couldn't wait to watch fireworks.

Randi May, 12, threw yellow bumpy balls at the metal target of the dunk tank, knocking another child into the cold water. Later, Randi climbed up the ladder to the dunk tank, sat down and waited. She said she was relieved when people missed, but still enjoyed dropping into the water with a splash when the target was hit.

"It's hot outside and it's really, really fun," Randi said.

While children in Wheatland were dunked, children in Yuba City paraded.

At the annual Children's Fourth of July Parade, Hailyn Marinsik rode a red ATV decorated with American flags and bows down Plumas Street in a red, white and blue dress.

"Daddy's a vet, so we're doing it for him," Brittney Marinsik, Hailyn's mom, said referring to her husband, Robert.

They joined about 700 people from the Mid-Valley who walked or rode decorated bikes, scooters, wagons and ATVs in the parade. The paraders followed the Beale Air Force Base Honor Guard and a truck playing patriotic music from A Street to the Town Center Fountain on Plumas Street.

"It's a celebration that's old-fashioned family fun for all ages," said Nancy Geweke, recreation coordinator for Yuba City Parks & Recreation.

Harlie the dog, wearing a red, white and blue bandana and flowered lei around his neck, trotted alongside his family, Jimmy and Lisa Rogers of Sutter and their two sons, Austin and Hunter. The boys sat in an American flag decorated wagon.

"We try to teach our kids how to be patriotic - supporting our country and our troops," Lisa Rogers said.