Villagers and visitors alike lined Xenia avenue on Sunday afternoon for the annual 4th of July parade. A steady stream of antique cars, patriotic musicians, youth groups, community organizations, police cars and firetrucks came through downown. Children scattered through the streets in pursuit of candy, and water gun-toting teens drenched onlookers. See more photos of the holiday’s festivities in the upcoming print edition of the News.

While the Yellow Springs Kids Playhouse summer musical, “Conference of the Birds” doesn’t open until Thursday, July 8, the News got a sneak peak during rehearsal last Thursday. Watch an audio slideshow, featuring the sounds and stagings of cast members, below, and see next week’s print edition of the Yellow Springs News for a full article on the latest production in YSKP’s 16th season of youth theater.

Yellow Springs High School alumnus and retiring principal John Gudgel was known for his support for students. That’s why the school board and his fellow classmates — meeting here for a 35th class reunion this weekend — are teaming up to honor Gudgel with a scholarship fund in his name that will continue to assist students in the high school.

Yellow Springs, long a popular tourist destination, can now accommodate even more overnight visitors with a host of new lodging options springing up in recent years. Villagers are opening their homes, apartments and guesthouses to share an authentic Yellow Springs experience with visitors.

Several new guesthouses in and around Yellow Springs have recently opened to accomodate overnight visitors. For detailed descriptions of the latest local lodging options, see a full article in this week’s issue of the News. An extended photo display of the accommodations is below.

Shirley Mullins’ Summer Strings youth orchestra will play its 47th grand finale this Saturday night at 7 p.m. in Kings Yard. The young musicians, who are concluding a two-week camp, can also be heard playing all over the village on Saturday morning from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. as part of a musical bake sale.

As idealistic Antioch students, Hardy Trolander, Paul Graham, Joni Rabinowitz and Prexy Nesbitt participated in local civil rights actions to desegregate Yellow Springs, culminating in the famous 1964 Gegner barbershop incident that led to the arrests of more than 100 people.

While a high school Latin teacher in Cincinnati, Michael Kraus couldn’t stand to watch students throw their soda cans in the trash. So he spent his afternoons digging through garbage bins to retrieve and recycle them.

Local soccer fans filled Dino’s Cappuccinos to cheer the U.S. men’s national team to victory against Algeria at the World Cup Wednesday. Crowds have been gathering throughout the village over the last two weeks to watch the World Cup, taking place this year in South Africa.

Former Antioch professor and dean of students Steve Schwerner received the J.D. Dawson award at this year’s alumni reunion for his decades of service to the college.

The Little Art Theatre, which recently turned non-profit, now asks for the community’s support with its first fundraising event, an auction gala on Friday, June 25, at 5:30 p.m. at Antioch University McGregor, which also commemorates the theater’s 80-year anniversary.