Jaren Gragg - MNJ Contributor
SPRUCE PINE — As America prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, Mitchell County residents are getting ready to mark Independence Day in their own unique way.
From live entertainment and bluegrass music to Fourth of July parades, hometown festivals, family-friendly activities, and fireworks displays, communities across the county will offer plenty of opportunities for residents to celebrate the holiday.
Spruce Pine: Stars, Stripes, and Strings
Downtown Spruce Pine will celebrate America 250 on Thursday, July 3, with festivities beginning at 3 p.m. and continuing through 10 p.m.
Town Manager Daniel Stines said the community celebration will feature approximately 25 to 30 local food and craft vendors. He added that families can enjoy a variety of activities throughout the day, including a kids' zone and bounce houses.
Many of the restaurants in downtown Spruce Pine will also be open, allowing residents and visitors to enjoy a meal with friends and neighbors before the parade and take in the live entertainment throughout the evening.
Stines said the celebration will feature a strong lineup of bluegrass and mountain music. High Mountain Grass will open the festivities from 3 to 4:15 p.m., followed by Bandana Rhythm from 4:30 to 5:45 p.m. The Toe River Drifters will perform from 7 to 8:15 p.m., before two-time IBMA Award winner and Grammy Award winner Trey Hensley headlines the evening.
The Stars, Stripes, and Strings Fourth of July Parade will begin at 6 p.m. Stines said Lower Street (Locust Avenue) and connecting side streets will be closed throughout the day for the festivities. Upper Street (Oak Avenue) will also close for the parade before reopening afterward to provide additional parking for those staying to watch the fireworks.
"Folks can come and enjoy the festival, go to Upper Street and watch the parade, and then come back down and enjoy the festival and stay for the evening," said Stines.
The celebration will conclude with a fireworks display beginning at approximately 9:45 p.m. Fireworks will be launched from Riverside Park.
The Red, White, and Blue Ridge Celebration
The Blue Ridge Boutique Hotel will host the Red, White & Blue Ridge Independence Day celebration on July 3. The festivities at the Boutique Hotel located at 94 Hotel Place in Spruce, Pine, will begin at 4 p.m. The event will feature food trucks, including Churros Rellenos, Cow Pies on the Moove, Honey Hive Coffee, and Tropical Treats.
Live entertainment begins at 5 p.m. and will feature performances by Dolly and Elvis tribute artists John Greene and Carrie Stewart Greene. John Greene Jr. will also entertain guests with a magic show. Guests will also have a front-row view of the community fireworks display, scheduled to begin around 9:45 p.m.
Town-Wide Yard Sale in Bakersville
More than 50 vendors will offer handmade crafts, vintage items, along with household goods, and other unique items during the annual Bakersville Town Wide Yard Sale that will take place on Saturday, July 5.
The sale will run from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. According to organizer Aaron Young, Fourth of July festivities in Bakersville will begin at 5 p.m. on July 4 at Gouge Elementary School and the Mitchell County Courthouse. The celebration will include food, live music and family activities.
Fireworks are scheduled to begin around 9:15 p.m. and will be launched from the Cane River Ball Field.
4th of July Celebration in Buladean
Buladean will celebrate America 250 with a full day of family-friendly activities, including parades, cookout favorites, and a special recognition of local veterans. Activities at the Buladean Community Center will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday with a patriotic car and motorcycle ride departing from the front parking lot.
At 11:15 a.m., residents are invited to participate in the annual non-motorized parade by decorating bicycles, wagons, strollers, pets or themselves in patriotic fashion. Veterans will be recognized during a special ceremony at noon. The celebration will also feature an Apple Pie Baking Contest, along with classic cookout favorites served throughout the afternoon.