By: Ashley Weiss

For Beth Ann Schumacher, being named the grand marshal of Clear Lake’s July 4th Celebration is still hard to put into words.

“I’m overwhelmed,” she said. “I always think about people who are really important getting to do that job. I don’t think of myself as important. I’m just Beth Ann.”

The annual celebration, a longstanding Clear Lake tradition, draws more than 100,000 people to the area over several days each year. This year’s event runs July 1-6, 2026.

The Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce named Schumacher as this year’s grand marshal, recognizing her decades of service as an educator and her involvement in the community.

“With this year’s ‘America 250’ theme, we wanted to recognize someone who has done so much to preserve and share the stories of our community,” said Trish Fundermann, Chamber Events Director.

The parade, themed “America 250,” will honor the nation’s 250th birthday, marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Clear Lake is joining other communities across Iowa and the nation in commemorating the milestone.

Bringing History to Life

Schumacher has called Clear Lake home since she was 6 months old, when her family moved from Des Moines, as her father helped design the city’s original sanitary sewer system—work that would keep him in the community for decades.

A 1972 graduate of Clear Lake High School, she went on to earn degrees in history and political science from the University of Northern Iowa and spent nearly four decades in education.

Schumacher taught in Iowa schools beginning in 1977 and spent 35 years in the Clear Lake Community School District, where she taught American history, American government, A.P. American history, contemporary global history, research history and sociology, and became known for bringing history to life for her students. She also helped launch a student trip to Washington, D.C., with another teacher — a program that continues today for juniors and seniors — and expanded those experiences to other destinations.

“If that’s a legacy I’m proud of, it’s that I was able to take so many students to places they might never have gotten to otherwise,” Schumacher said.

Throughout her career, Schumacher taught a wide range of courses and led numerous student programs, including Mock Trial, National History Day and Model United Nations, helping students engage with history beyond the classroom. She was named Educator of the Year by the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce in 2013.

A Lifelong Fourth of July Tradition

Her connection to the Fourth of July celebration runs deep.

As a student, Schumacher marched in the parade for years as a percussionist, starting in drum and bugle corps and continuing through high school band. Like many families, hers centered the holiday around tradition — parades, cookouts and fireworks.

One of her favorite childhood memories was watching fireworks from the top floor of the city’s water plant, where her father’s connections allowed their family a perfect view.
“We got to do that for years and years and that felt really, really special,” she said.

Those traditions carried into adulthood. Schumacher and her late husband, Mark, hosted large family gatherings each year, bringing together extended family.

The holiday also marked a pivotal moment in her life.

It was during a Fourth of July Celebration in 1979 that she and Mark truly connected. After inviting him to a family cookout, the two spent hours walking through the carnival and along the Seawall, talking late into the night.

“We didn’t take a single ride,” she said. “We just walked and talked.”

The two quickly discovered a shared love of music, history and travel, including an interest in Civil War battlefields, and Schumacher said the connection was immediate.

“All of a sudden, it just clicked,” she said. “We were supposed to be together.”

The couple married the following year.

“That’s a very fond memory of the Fourth of July for me,” Schumacher said smiling.

The couple later welcomed daughters Abigail and Ashley, as Fourth of July celebrations took on new meaning for their growing family.

Today, both daughters live in Mason City and return to Clear Lake each year for the celebration, joined by extended family as they continue a tradition that has spanned generations.

Continuing to Serve

Even in retirement, Schumacher has remained active in the community, serving on the Clear Lake City Council since 2024 and as director of the Clear Lake History Museum, home to the Clear Lake Historical Society, where she is president and education coordinator and continues to share her passion for history through research, writing and presentations, and staying involved at Zion Lutheran Church in Clear Lake, where she serves in several leadership roles, including secretary of the Congregation Council, Bible study and worship leader, funeral coordinator and church historian.

“I’m learning to decide what I really love,” she said. “I love my work at church, I love City Council and I love history, and I’ve learned to say no to other things.”

She has also authored and contributed to several publications on Clear Lake’s history, further preserving the stories of the community she calls home.

Schumacher describes Clear Lake’s Fourth of July celebration as something distinct from larger events.

“We’re a hometown parade, and we like to celebrate our community,” she said. “It’s just fun. You’re sitting on the curb with your neighbors, watching the parade, and enjoying all the things.”

The Chamber will formally honor Schumacher as she leads the Independence Day parade on Saturday, July 4. The parade begins at 10 a.m. and is expected to draw thousands to downtown Clear Lake.

Though she never sought recognition, Schumacher said being named grand marshal is a meaningful reminder that the work she’s done has made an impact.

“A lot of what I do is just what needs to be done,” she said. “I don’t do it to be noticed but because I have a desire to serve.”

A Look Back: Chronological List of Clear Lake July 4th Parade Grand Marshals

The Clear Lake July 4th Parade is a long-standing community tradition. Each year, a Grand Marshal is selected to recognize a person or organization who has made a meaningful impact on Clear Lake. View the list of past Grand Marshals here.