Fourth of July Celebration

By BETH LAKEY

Staff Writer

Troy’s Fourth of July celebration is expected to be an event for people of all ages.

Beginning at 4 p.m. and lasting until the fireworks are over, the event will be at the Sportsplex where parking will be plenty.

Celebration committee chairman Dan Smith said property owners adjacent to the Sportsplex have offered to let those in attendance use the land for parking so they can park within "easy walking distance."

This will be Troy’s second old-fashioned Fourth of July celebration.

Smith said last year’s event "far exceeded" expectations regarding community involvement and plans are to make this year’s celebration bigger and better.

"This is an annual event we are certain will become a tradition," Smith said.

He encourages families, church groups, businesses and organizations to set up a tent, fire up the grill and settle down for some good, old-fashioned fun.

As far as Smith is concerned, the Fourth celebration includes four f’s ­ fun, food, fellowship and fireworks.

"The key to it is fellowship," Smith said of the community celebration.

The old favorites like horseshoes, potato sack races and tug-of-war will be back as a reminder of the good ol’ days, but there will be some new things, as well.

Since the one-day water theme park for children was such a "huge success" last year, the planning committee definitely wanted to bring that back. Volunteers will be on hand to supervise children playing in the wet area, which will have slip and slides, lawn sprinklers, water games and volunteers supervising the children.

Other activities for children will include a croquet tournament, Diaper Derby for babies, paper airplane contest, rod and reel casting, watermelon eating contest, egg and spoon race and chalk drawing on the sidewalk.

For the adults, there will be plenty of entertainment, a barbecue cook off and pie baking contest.

"You really don’t want to miss this," Smith said of all the festivities.

The fireworks will begin at 9 p.m. and have a new twist, this year. WTBF will broadcast patriotic music on the AM and FM frequencies during the spectacular display of color.

Smith said anyone can tune into WTBF to hear and, for those at the park, the music will be heard via the ballpark sound system.