Celebrating with a BANG

Communities gearing up for Fourth of July weekend

By Jeff LeMaster

THREE RIVERS AREA — This weekend promises to be one of the most eventful of the year in the Three Rivers area, with more Fourth of July fun than you can shake a sparkler at.

Communities big and small are set to celebrate Independence Day with parades, good food, special events and plenty of fireworks.

Dry enough to sparkle Two communities are ready to get their Fourthof-July groove back on after coming up all wet last year. Fairfield Bay had to cancel its fireworks show in 2008 after torrential rains in the spring left the waters of Greers Ferry Lake sitting high.

Robbie Ingle, executive director of the Fairfield Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, said it was a break in a long tradition to not have fireworks.

"They've been having fireworks since the be ginning of time, I think," Ingle said. She said the water's a little high this year at the Fairfield Bay Marina and Campground, the site of the show, but it seems to be receding at a rate to where they'll be able to shoot off the fireworks.

In addition to the fireworks, which will begin at 9 p.m. Friday, Fairfield Bay is hosting a number of activities throughout the weekend. A miniature golf tournament is planned for today at Woodland Mead Park. On Friday, the annual Splash Bash, a community pool party with water games for kids, will be held at Bay View Pool.

For more information about the weekend's festivities, call Ingle at (501) 884-3324 or (501) 350-2796.

In Heber Springs last year, the fireworks weren't canceled, but they were moved to the town's airport instead of its traditional location of Sandy Beach on Greers Ferry. The show will go back to the beach this year.

"It's the best area to have it," said Marilyn Wright, executive director of the Heber Springs Chamber of Commerce. "I've been hearing from people all over town saying they're excited it's back at Sandy Beach. People who love to come out in boats can see it."

The Heber Springs celebration will get started at 6 p.m. Saturday with a performance by Fred Prentice and Friends. The band will be followed on the stage at 7 by The Imagine That Band featuring Glenn Parrish, Paige Tippett and Peyton Loeschner. The fireworks, which will be choreographed to music broadcast on KFFB 106.1 FM, will get started at 9:30. The evening will also feature food and novelty vendors.

Little town, big fun

On a map, Floyd is "distinguished" only by being located atthe intersection of two Arkansas highways - 31 and 305 - but it's a town that knows how to celebrate. On Saturday, thousands are expected to come out for the White County town's Fourth of July parade, which will start at 10 a.m. The rest of the day is filled with activities for young and old, culminating with a fireworks show at 9 p.m.

"We started doing this type of celebration in the '80s," Floyd resident Joan Nickleson said. "Floyd is a very small area, but we usually have excellent turnout."

Joan and her husband, Tim, are helping organize the parade. For more information about the Floyd festivities, the Nicklesons can be reached at (501) 499-0274.

They even have ponies

Harding University and the city of Searcy are doing the Fourth up right with a huge bash on Saturday. Festivities will kick off with registration for a bicycle parade at 9 a.m. Later in the evening, a carnival for kids will be held outside Harding's Ganus Athletic Center from 7-9 p.m. The carnival will feature $3 pony rides and a free petting zoo, among other attractions. Free Yarnell's ice cream will be served at First Security Stadium. At 9:30 p.m., a fireworks show by Air Magic of Batesville will be set to music broadcast on KVHU 95.3 FM.

For more information, call (501) 279-4660.

- jlemaster@ arkansasonline.com

Three Rivers, Pages 55, 56 on 07/02/2009