It was a day of celebration in Pekin on Thursday despite the stormy, rainy weather. The 194th Annual Pekin 4th Of July Independence Day Festival powered through intermittent storms and provided lots of activities, food and entertainment to the many loyal attendees who were not deterred by the weather. Taylor Humphrey-Arnold, president of the Pekin Community Betterment Organization, gave opening remarks and read the biographies of the grand marshals, Steve Burnett and Gary Nale.