Anyone who has been to the annual Fourth of July Family Fun Day in Hamlet knows the event gets more exciting with each passing year.
“Ron Mayo started this about five or six years ago, and the Hamlet Business Development Association (HBDA) got involved,” said HBDA Treasurer Bobby Singletary. “They get better every year, and we want this one to be even better than the last.”
The event, sponsored by the City of Hamlet, HBDA and Big Rock Sports will kick off Wednesday at 5 p.m. on Main Street and festivities will last until the fireworks are over.
“Fireworks will start around 9 p.m.,” said Miranda Chavis, manager of the Hamlet Historic Depot and Museum and downtown coordinator.
From 5 p.m. until after the fireworks show, Main Street will be blocked off to traffic. A band will set up in the middle of the street, and vendors selling everything from hamburgers to funnel cakes will line the sidewalks.
“The band is called ‘Ponder Blue,’” said Singletary. “It’s a popular local band.”
In addition to restaurants and vendors selling food, the event will feature a bounce house for kids, clowns, balloons, a tricycle race at 6:30 p.m., a dunking booth, corn hole games and a watermelon eating contest. There will be prizes for the contests.
The “dunkee” in the dunking booth will be a surprise, and city officials are set to race tricycles with the kids.
“With the Fourth of July falling in the middle of the week this year, it’s harder for a lot of people to take a long vacation,” said Chavis. “This is a great way to celebrate in a relaxed atmosphere right here at home.”
On Main Street, the Hamlet Historic Depot and Museum and the Tornado Building will be open to the public. The National Railroad Museum and Hall of Fame, located off Hwy 74 adjacent to the Hamlet City Lake, will be open from 3-9 p.m. and selling $1 hot dogs and .50 cent drinks.
“It’s a clean, safe environment for families to bring their kids and celebrate the holiday,” said Singletary.
The grand finale of the evening will, of course, be the spectacular display of fireworks presented by the city. The fireworks will be set up at the Lion’s Club fair grounds across from the city lake. They will be visible from areas on Main Street, as well as areas around the fair grounds and lake.
“We encourage everyone to bring their lawn chairs out, because there are lots of great places to see the fireworks from downtown,” said Singletary.
— Staff Writer Kelli Easterling can be reached at 910-997-3111, ext. 18, or by email at keasterling@heartlandpublications.com.
Post a Comment
