Firemen's Fourth Expected 'Bigger, Better' In '04
HUNTSVILLE - The annual Firemen's Fourth of July Festival here is expected to be bigger and better
than ever in 2004, event organizers say.
As the final touches were being put on festival plans, Fire Chief Dean King said Monday that this year's program should be especially entertaining.
"The plans are looking like this will be the biggest (festival) ever," King said. "The major thing
thing that will make everything so big is that we have a carnival that will be combined with the festival."
The carnival will consist of 10 rides and various games and will be held on the Mall along with the rest of the booths and vendors that will be on hand for this year's event.
"We also have Rolling Thunder, a motorcycle group of Vietnam Veterans who will be here," King said. Rolling Thunder Chapter Three, out of Knoxville, which has raised flags in ceremonies at the nation's capital in the past, will conduct a POW-MIA flag-raising ceremony on the Mall at 12:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon.
And, of course, not to be forgotten are the fireworks.
"The fireworks show will be the best that anyone here has ever seen, I'd say," King said, adding that a third major sponsor - Ray Viles Ford of Clinton - has been added along-side traditional sponsors First National Bank and Armstrong to make this year's fireworks display larger than usual.
As is tradition, the fireworks display will conclude the Firemen's Fourth Festival on Sunday night
at approximately 10 p.m.
King said that about 15,000 people are expected to be on and around the Mall by the time the fireworks display begins.
This year's festival is scheduled to kickoff on Friday evening, with entertainment beginning at 6 p.m. After all-night singing and dancing, a pancake breakfast will really get things kicked off on Saturday morning. The all-you-can-eat breakfast, which will be prepared by the Kiwanis Club and proceeds of which will benefit the Huntsville Fire Department, will begin at 7 a.m. Saturday morning.
At 11 a.m. Saturday, the annual Fourth of July parade - along with Ronald McDonald - will begin on Baker Highway east of town, travel around the courthouse square, and back to Baker Highway before disbanding.
Saturday's entertainment will begin at noon, with various gospel, country and bluegrass entertainers performing.
Entertainment will continue throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday and will be accompanied by the various arts and crafts displays and food vendors located around the mall, leading up to Sunday evening's fireworks display.
news@ihoneida.com
News delivered straight to you! Subscribe today!
|