THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 2, 1995 TAG: 9506300218
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 24 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines
This year's Fourth of July celebration at South Norfolk's Lakeside Park can no longer lay claim to being a quiet, old fashioned day in the park.
Past Fourth of July celebrations were low-key family affairs with a few city dignitaries making opening remarks, a live musical act or two, a few food vendors and families relaxing on the park's lawn, grilling hot dogs and enjoying the national holiday.
But this year, in part to celebrate the park's renovations and to expand the celebration beyond its well-known quiet approach, the event will feature two stages of live entertainment, a children's stage, arts and crafts exhibits, more food vendors, shuttle parking and a parade.
The free event will take place Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Featured musical entertainment will include the very popular country duo The Mann Sisters, recording artists who currently have a video shown on the Country Music Television cable station, and Sterling Riggs, the South Norfolk singer who recently won all awards at the recent ``All Things Elvis'' festival in Virginia Beach.
New blood in the celebration's planning committee has brought in a new attitude to this long-running annual Independence Day celebration, said Jason Day, chairman of the event planning committee.
``About three years ago, a younger crowd began joining the South Norfolk Civic League,'' Day said. ``The organizing committee as a whole decided to make this celebration a little more dynamic. We had done it one way for the past 15 years and now, with the park being rededicated, we decided why not look into ways to make this a new celebration? Our main idea now is to be one of the major Fourth of July festivals in the Tidewater area. We're even hoping we can bring in a national act by next year.''
The patriotic family event is being sponsored and supervised by the South Norfolk Civic League along with help and support from the Chesapeake Sheriff's office, the Chesapeake Parks and Recreation Department and WCMS radio station.
The celebration planning committee is headed by South Norfolk Civic League president Bill Butlin and committee chairman Jason Day along with Susan Rowland, Brenda Johnson, Joyce Coleman, Jim Coleman, Richard Meloni, Jack Twine, Dick Connolly, Jean Harrell, Carter Evans, Jerry Bottum and Jeff Bunn.
One big new addition to this year's celebration is a parade being organized by Brenda Johnson.
The procession, which will feature more than 40 units, begins at 11 a.m. at Oscar F. Smith Middle School at 2500 Rodgers St. (the old Oscar F. Smith High School). It will move down Rodgers Street to Chesapeake Drive, march down Chesapeake Drive onto Bainbridge Boulevard, go past the park site and then disperse on Holly Street.
The parade's reviewing stand will be located at the corner of Byrd Avenue and Bainbridge Boulevard.
Included in the parade will be several marching units, a Dixieland band, patriotic floats and Riggs dressed as Elvis, riding in a white Cadillac convertible.
Along with family entertainment on three separate stages, the celebration also will include pony rides, a 4-H petting zoo, car bashing to raise more funds for next year's event, a 50/50 raffle, paddleboat rides and a large arts-and-crafts display area, featuring an array of local and regional artisans displaying their creations on more than 20 display tables.
Day said over a dozen different food vendors will be at the park selling hot dogs, hamburgers, funnel cakes, beverages, barbecue, Mexican food, popcorn, snacks, made-on-the-spot doughnuts and homemade pork rinds. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Performing at South Norfolk's Lakeside Park on the Fourth of July
will be, clockwise from top left: The Mann Sisters, Erin Suzanne and
Big Fun.
Graphic
At a Glance
by CNB