Photo by Miranda Chavis. Volunteers cleaned up Hamlet's Main Street in preparation for the Fourth of July celebrations to be hosted there on Wednesday.

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Volunteers in Hamlet combined efforts and formed a Main Street cleanup crew on Saturday, to get the street ready for the Fourth of July celebrations on Wednesday, which start at 5 p.m.

The street will be blocked off to traffic, and opened up to vendors and a band. The fireworks display is scheduled for 9 p.m., and families are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets to enjoy the show from Main Street and surrounding areas.

“One of the volunteers at the Depot Museum, Sam Ballard, actually came up with the idea for us to clean up the street,” said Miranda Chavis, manager of the Hamlet Historic Depot and Museum and downtown coordinator.

“I was walking near the Tornado Building one day, and noticed the briars and bushes growing up,” said Bullard. “I thought we should get that cleaned up before everybody goes to Main Street for the Fourth. I usually go to the celebration downtown - there’s plenty of vendors and food, and everybody has a good time.”

About seven volunteers showed up on Saturday morning at 8 a.m., and spent the next two hours trimming hedges, cleaning out flower beds, cleaning sidewalks and tidying up Main Street Park.

“Of course we didn’t know it would be so hot when we planned this,” said Chavis. “But it was well worth the effort, and Main Street is ready for the Fourth!”