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Town of Newland and Other Avery County Municipalities and Communities to hold Independence Festivals and Celebrations

By Tim Gardner

The Town of Newland’s Celebrate Independence Day Festival will be held Saturday, July 6, at the town’s Riverwalk Park and Bandstand.

There is no charge to attend the festival and all are welcome.

A parade will kick off the festivities at 11 a.m. at the town square and end at the old Lowes Food parking lot. Entrants in the parade are requested to bring their own float, car, firetruck, law enforcement vehicle or whatever they plan to ride. Parade entrants are to start lining up at 10:15 a.m.

A welcome from Newland Town Officials will begin at 11:15 a.m. at the bandstand. 

Inflatables begin at 12 noon and close at 6 p.m. Mini gold will also be available.

A Cute Pet Contest will run from 12:30 until 1 p.m. with trophies awarded to the winners. All pets must be on leashes at the contest and during the day’s events.

Watermelon and Pie Eating contests follow at 2 p.m. until a Cornhole Tournament gets underway at 2:30 with no ending time set. Trophies also will be given to the tournament winners.

Musical and related entertainment featuring Ransomed by Grace will kick of at 11:30 a.m., followed by the Avery Cloggers at 1 p.m.

A “For Old Times Sake” street dance and food trucks will run from 6-8 that evening. The headline band, Morgans Mill, will appear in concert from 8 until 9:30 p.m. Event organizers claim this group is like a combination of Chris Stapleton, Garth Brooks and Stevie Ray Vaughn collectively forming a band. 

Then, a dazzling fireworks extravaganza by JECO Pyrotechnics will fill the dark evening skies, beginning at 9:45 to conclude the festival.

There will be more than 32 food, craft and retail vendor booths available at the festival from 11 a.m. and remaining until 6 p.m. or later. Among the foods featured for sale will be turkey legs. 

In the event of rain, the festival will move to the Rock Gymnasium next to Newland Elementary School.

Town officials invite all town residents and any visitors to attend the Independence Day Festival.

For more information about Newland’s Independence Day Festival, call Town Hall at 828-733-2023. 

The following other Independence Day events will be held in Avery County:

June 29 – Cranberry

The Annual Cranberry Community Fourth of July Parade and Celebration will be held this year on Saturday, June 29, beginning at approximately 6 p.m.

July 4 – Fireworks on Top of Sugar Mountain

A spectacular firework show, sponsored by the Village of Sugar Mountain Tourism Development Authority, viewed from Sugar’s 5,300’ peak begins around 9:00 p.m. Typical Mountain Boys perform at the base lodge from 6:00 until 9:00 p.m. and the Summit Express chairlift runs Thursday, July 4 from 10:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. for mountain-top fireworks viewing. No mountain bikes after 6:00 p.m.

July 4 – Newland Car Show

The Town of Newland’s Annual Fourth of July Car Show will take place Thursday, June 4, at the Old Rock Gymnasium from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.

The Old Rock Gymnasium is located at 185 Shady Street, next to Newland Elementary School.

Skyland ministries will also be performing.

For further information about the car show, call Event Coordinator Claude Buchanan at 828-733-3558.

July 4 – Banner Elk

Sponsored by the Banner Elk Chamber of Commerce, the Town of Banner Elk will host a Fourth of July Parade on Thursday, July 4, starting at 11 a.m. The parade will begin on Main Street, followed by games, inflatables and the Great Duck Race. Local food vendors will be available.

Additionally, three rockin’ concerts will be held: Clockworx, The Smokin’ Joe Band, and Extraordinaires. All events will be held after the parade until 6 p.m. on the Front Lawn at the Historic Banner Elk School in downtown Banner Elk.

For more details, call the Banner Elk Chamber of Commerce at 828-898-8395 or the Banner Elk Town Hall at 828-898-5398.

July 4 – Crossnore

Sponsored by the Crossnore Fire Department, the Town of Crossnore will host Independence Day Festivities on Thursday, July 4, with craft vendors available from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. in downtown. The town’s parade will begin at 4 p.m. with entrants requested to start lining up at 3:30 p.m.

Hot dogs and hamburgers will be served after the parade.

A special service recognizing military veterans will be held at 4:30 p.m. 

A frog jump will start at 5 p.m. and the festivities will conclude with a fireworks display around 9 p.m.

Town officials welcome anyone who wants to attend. For more details, call Crossnore Town Hall at 828-733-0360.

July 4 – Spear and Plumtree Communities

The communities of Spear and Plumtree will hold a Fourth of July Parade on Thursday, July 4, starting at 4:30 p.m. and lasting to around 12 midnight. Parade entrants will lineup at 4 p.m. at the Plumtree Presbyterian Church. A covered dish cookout and fireworks will follow just off Highway 19-E between Henson Creek Road and the old Vance Memorial Methodist Church. A Split The Pot Cornhole Tournament will also be held. All are welcome to attend.

For further information, call the Spear Country Store at 828-765-2126.

July 5 – Elk Park

The Town of Elk Park will hold a Fourth of July Festival on Friday, July 5, starting at 6 p.m. and lasting until 12 midnight at the Winters Town Park. 

The festival will open with a parade, beginning at H&H Trucking. Entrants are asked to begin lining up at 5:30 p.m. There will be a float judging contest held with first, second and third place monetary awards given to the winners. There also will be a dessert contest with monetary awards also given to the top three winners. 

Inflatables for children will be available from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Barbeque sandwiches, hot dogs, potato chips and drinks will be served at 7 p.m. Food vendors will be selling funnel cakes, snow cones and more items.

Musical entertainment will be provided that evening by Ransomed by Grace from 6:3-7 p.m.; the Avery County Cloggers from 7-7:30; and the Toe River Drifters from 8:30-9.

A fireworks show given by JECO Pyrotechnics will start at 9:30, with a movie following.

Donations will be accepted at the Town Hall prior to the event as well as donation boxed the day of to help keep future events offered in the park. 

Town officials encourage all who want to attend. For further information, call Elk Park Town Hall at 828-733-9573.

July 6 – Minneapolis

Like the Town of Newland, the Minneapolis Community will hold its Independence Day Celebration on Saturday, July 6. It will feature a parade, picnic and fireworks. The events start with the parade at 1 p.m. Parade entrants are asked to line up at the bottom entrance of Old Minneapolis Road at 12:30 p.m.

The community picnic will follow the parade at the Minneapolis School grounds. The activities will conclude with fireworks at dark. 

All are welcome to attend.