Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, July 2, 1993 TAG: 9307010240
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By DONNA ALVIS-BANKS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
With all the fireworks over the New River Valley this weekend, the smoke may not clear til Labor Day.
Because the Fourth of July falls on Sunday this year, several communities in the valley have planned celebrations over a three-day weekend.
The festivities begin Saturday and continue through Monday with parades, music, games, dancing, entertainment and (what else?) fabulous pyrotechnic displays!
Here's the rundown for Independence Day blowouts around the area:\ Shawsville
This year marks the 18th annual July 4th celebration in Shawsville. Each year, the Shawsville Ruritan Club gets a jump start on the big birthday blast. Most events, including games and contests throughout the day, will be held at the Shawsville High School football field. The Ruritan Club will have a dunking tank, a greased pole, horseshoe contests, a bicycle rodeo for kids and lots of other amusements. Admission is $2 for adults, $1 for children and free for preschoolers. The fun starts early Saturday.
\ 6 a.m. Gates open at the Shawsville High School football field for a flea market and crafts show.
\ 8 a.m. Annual 5K race for adults and youths begins at Shawsville High School.
\ 10 a.m. Fourth of July parade led by grand marshals Evelyn and Elbert Waldron. Parade marshals are James Pearman and G.W. "June" Williams, the two remaining charter members of the 45-year-old Shawsville Ruritan Club. Parade features the Shawsville Ruritan's Marching Kazoo Band, Bent Tree Farms show horses and llamas, the Blacksburg Community Band, floats, antique and classic cars and marching units. Parade moves along U.S. 460 to Shawsville High School.
\ 11:30 a.m. Independence Day ceremonies and presentation of colors at the Shawsville High School football field.
\ Noon-3 p.m. Gospel music by The Victory Gospel Singers, Judith Deos Trio, The Carpenter's Tools and The Clark Family.
\ 3-6 p.m. Second annual bluegrass music contest featuring 10 local bands vying for cash prizes.
\ 5-7 p.m. Catered dinner in the Shawsville Middle School cafeteria. Menu includes fried chicken and meat loaf. $3.75, adults; $2.75, children 10 and under.
\ 6-7:30 p.m. Bluegrass music by Fort Vause. Band members are Jack Hinshelwood, George Smith III, Curtis Thornton, Charlie Davis and Jeff Wilkie.
\ 7:30-9:30 p.m. Second annual "Jazz in the Country" festival featuring the Dennis Reasor Quartet.
\ 9:30 p.m. Fireworks.
\ Radford
Radford will observe Independence Day with its annual "Celebration in the Park" Saturday. Food booths, arts and crafts displays, educational demonstrations and children's rides will be set up in Bisset Park.
Games for youngsters, ages 6 and under, begin at 11 a.m., and activities for older children, 7 to 12, start at noon. Mike Simpkins is coordinating the children's events.
The entertainment is at the gazebo in Bisset Park. A highlight of this year's program is a rendition of Radford's Fourth of July theme song, "I Love America," written especially for the celebration by Lloyd Zurbrigg, a retired Radford University professor. Tara Roseberry will sing with accompaniment by Deone Shaffer.
Ervin White will serve as master of ceremonies for this full day of music, acting and dancing in the park.
\ 11 a.m. Performance by students in Terry Wilson's Academy of Dance.
\ 11:40 a.m. Raymond and Darlene Watson, gospel duo.
\ 12:20 p.m. Side Kixx, country and rock music.
\ 1 p.m. Dancing by the Turn-N-Q Square Dance Club of Radford, Triangle Squares of Blacksburg and New River Squares of Dublin with caller Joe Allen of Princeton, W.Va.
\ 1:40 p.m. Olen Gardner and the Appalachian Ramblers, bluegrass and country music.
\ 2:15 p.m. The cast of Radford's historical outdoor drama, "The Long Way Home," will present a scene from the play.
\ 2:40 p.m. Omega V with Red Turpin, country and bluegrass music.
\ 3:25 p.m. Dixie Dirt, country and Southern rock.
\ 4:20 p.m. Now & Then with Edwin Lacy, folk music.
\ 5 p.m. The Whitts, Southern gospel music.
\ 5:40 p.m. Johnny Barnett will perform various vocal selections.
\ 6:20 p.m. The Blackburn Brothers, bluegrass music.
\ 7:10 p.m. Evening program with welcome by Tom Starnes, mayor of Radford, and invocation by the Rev. Gina Rhea. Tara Roseberry and Deone Shaffer will perform "I Love America."
\ 7:35 p.m. The McKenzies, original folk music.
\ 8:15 p.m. The Singing Nippers, gospel music.
\ 9:30 p.m. Fireworks.
Admission to Radford's celebration is free. Parking is available in selected areas of Bisset Park and additional space is available nearby at the Radford Senior Center.
\ Pulaski
Pulaski will celebrate the Fourth of July a bit differently this year . . . with Blood, Sweat & Tears.
The big draw Saturday is Pulaski Main Street's Summer '93 Music Fest. Headlining the festival is Blood, Sweat & Tears with band leader David Clayton Thomas.
Joining Thomas is another crowd-pleasing performer, Clarence Carter. Best known as a blues singer with hits such as "Slip Away" and "Patches," Carter's most recent popular song was "Strokin'."
In addition to the big-name musicians, several local bands are performing in the music fest, too.
It's happening at Pulaski County High School's Kenneth Dobson Stadium where gates open at 3:30 p.m. Admission is $20 at the gate or $18 in advance. Tickets are available from local merchants and at all Ticket Master locations.
Coolers will not be allowed, but music lovers are encouraged to bring lounge chairs and pillows for this concert under the stars.
\ 3:30 p.m. Gates open at Kenneth Dobson Stadium off U.S. 11 at Pulaski County High School. From Interstate 81, take Exit 98.
\ 4:45 p.m. Sky Orange, a free-falling skydiving team opens the Summer '93 Music Fest.
\ 5 p.m. Don & The Deltones.
\ 6 p.m. Powerforce with Face to Face.
\ 7 p.m. The Impressions.
\ 8 p.m. Clarence "Strokin" Carter.
\ 9:30 p.m. Blood, Sweat & Tears with David Clayton Thomas.
Because Saturday's concert will run late into the evening, the fireworks display has been moved to Sunday. It begins at 9:30 p.m. at Loving Field on Virginia 739 in Pulaski County.
\ Narrows
A little water won't dampen your spirits at the exciting Saturday holiday bash in Narrows. The Giles County town is putting on its 43rd annual Homecoming and Water Carnival in the Narrows Town Park. This is an event sponsored by the Narrows Kiwanis Club.
Swimming, games, arts and crafts, food and live entertainment - that's what you can expect.
Don't expect a boring moment.
The gates open at 8 a.m. Saturday. Admission is $3 for adults and $1 for children.
Here's the schedule of events:
\ 8 a.m. Gates open for participants in the Giles Arts and Crafts Guild show.
\ 9 a.m. Flag raising ceremony.
\ 10 a.m. Arts and crafts show opens.
\ 11 a.m. Judging for the arts and crafts show.
\ 10 a.m.-noon Entertainment by Split Second. Entertainment continues throughout the afternoon with performances by the Tina Hicks Dance Company and the Southern Spirit Band.
\ 1 p.m. Swimming contest.
\ 2 p.m. Sack race.
\ 3 p.m. Three-legged race.
\ 3:40 p.m. Presentation of arts and crafts awards.
\ 4 p.m. Arts and crafts show closes. Foul shooting contest begins.
\ 8-9:30 p.m. Evening show with introductions and dedications. Music by vocalist Alicia Sable. Headline show is Grandstaff, a modern country music band from Staunton featuring Will and Langdon Reid.
\ 9:30 p.m. Fireworks.
\ Newport
Also in Giles County Saturday you'll find a celebration in the little community of Newport. It starts with a parade at 11 a.m. beginning at the First Christian Church. The parade winds along Virginia 42 to the Newport Ballpark.
A community-wide yard sale will be held at the ballpark after the parade. In addition, there will be lots of homemade foods and baked goods to tempt your taste buds.
\ Blacksburg
\ SATURDAY: Blacksburg will spread its Independence Day merrymaking over a two-day period.
On Saturday, the Mount Tabor Ruritan Club will have its traditional parade in downtown Blacksburg. Marching units and floats will be decorated to reflect the theme of this year's parade, "One Nation Under God."
Del. Joan Munford is the grand marshal.
The parade gets under way at 2 p.m. Saturday.
\ SUNDAY: The fun picks up again Sunday in Blacksburg on the west lawn of Virginia Tech's Lane Stadium. Starting at 5:30 p.m., an evening of food, music and fireworks is planned.
A barbecue dinner with all the trimmings will be served. The cost is $3.50 for adults and $2.50 for children. Free watermelon will be available as long as it lasts.
The entertainment lineup follows:
\ 5:30-7:30 p.m. Children's games led by Dean Crane and members of the Blacksburg Parks and Recreation Department.
\ 5:30 p.m. Music by Olen and Frances Gardner and the Appalachian Ramblers.
\ 6:30 p.m. Music by Katherine Breske and Friends.
\ 7:30 p.m. The Riverboat Ramblers will play Dixieland jazz.
\ 8:30 p.m. Patriotic music by the Blacksburg Community Band and the Celebration Chorus.
\ 9:30 p.m. Fireworks.
Admission to events at Lane Stadium is free. The Blacksburg Parks and Recreation Department is sponsoring the celebration. Pets, alcohol and fireworks are not allowed on the grounds.
\ Christiansburg
If you're in Christiansburg Sunday, make sure you wear your stove pipe hats and hoop skirts. Residents are encouraged to wear their bicentennial costumes to an old-fashioned picnic celebrating the Fourth of July.
It starts at 1 p.m. on the Montgomery County Courthouse lawn. Members of the community are invited to bring a picnic lunch and a lawn chair or blanket for the get-together.
Free ice cream, cake and drinks will be available.
Special activities include a community sing-along and a ceremony by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Local veterans will place a wreath at Memorial Monument on the town square.
\ Floyd
Floyd's holiday celebration coincides with the nation's observance. It's happening Monday at Floyd County High School.
A baseball card show sponsored by the American Cancer Society will be set up in the school cafeteria, beginning at 9 a.m. A 4-H Expo runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the gym.
Much of the fun is outside on the athletic field where the Floyd County Merchants and Businessmen's Association will sponsor games, demonstrations and entertainment throughout the day.
Gates open at 11 a.m. Admission is 50 cents.
\ 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. "Bump & Rump Rider," 4-H Precision Drill on the grade school field.
\ Noon Opening ceremonies with a dedication by mayor Skip Bishop in memory of former mayor Carroll Lane.
\ 12:30 p.m. Live country music.
\ 1-2:30 p.m. Pet show.
\ 2:30-4:30 p.m. Field events, including a Frisbee throw, football pass and kick, water balloon toss, Hula Hoop contest, tennis ball throw, sack race, jump rope contest and tug-of-war.
\ 4:45 p.m. Drawing for three $100 bonds for children sponsored by the Floyd County Moose Lodge.
\ 5-8 p.m. Mountain music festival with judging in old-time, bluegrass and dancing categories.
\ 5:30-7:30 p.m. Drawings for door prizes every half hour.
\ 8 p.m. Dedication in memory of Carroll Lane.
\ 8:30 p.m. Music by the Sounds of Harmony.
\ 9 p.m. Closing ceremonies and fireworks.
by CNB