Keith Strange | The News
Downtown Mount Airy’s Fourth of July parade is set for July 4 at 11 a.m. Participants still have time to register and should visit mountairydowntown.org for a full set of rules and an application.
Keith Strange | The News
Mark Donnell rides in downtown Mount Airy’s Fourth of July parade. This year’s parade is set for July 4 at 11 a.m.
A full day of fun is planned to celebrate Independence Day in downtown Mount Airy, followed by festivities and fireworks at Veterans Memorial Park.
The Fourth of July celebration begins at 10 a.m. with the reading of the Declaration of Independence, to be held in the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History’s courtyard. The festive reading will be presented in costume by Brack Llewellyn and the NoneSuch Playmakers. Watermelon and lemonade will be served to the public in the courtyard.
At 11 a.m. the parade procession, sponsored by the Mount Airy Downtown Business Association, will leave Veterans Memorial Park and make its way downtown.
World-renowned jazz and r&b artist and Mount Airy resident Melva Houston has been selected as the 2013 honorary grand marshal for the parade.
The parade will feature numerous groups, floats, and vehicles with a patriotic theme throughout. Veterans groups, businesses, church groups, clubs, and anyone who would like to participate are encouraged to register now for the parade. Rules and applications are available online at mountairydowntown.org.
Immediately following the parade, the first downtown Mount Airy Pie Eating Contest for Charity, sponsored by Miss Angel’s Heavenly Pies, will take place in the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History’s courtyard. The contest, which will become an annual event, will be open to ages two and up.
Three pie-eating contest categories will be included. The children’s division is for ages 2 to 5, in which each child will receive a fruit turnover from Miss Angel’s. The second division, for ages 6 to 11, will include a five-inch fruit pie from Miss Angel’s and will be a hands-free contest.
Contestants in the adult division, for ages 12 and older, will be served a full-size fruit pie of the contestant’s choice. The contestant with the fastest time will be deemed the winner and will receive a crown as well as bragging rights as the first downtown Mount Airy Pie-Eating Contest winner.
No registered contestants will walk away empty handed. All interested parties should register for the pie-eating contest prior to July 1, at Miss Angel’s Heavenly Pies, located at 153 N. Main St. or by calling 786-1537. Proceeds from the contest will benefit the Surry County School’s backpack program.
Many downtown shops and restaurants will be open on the holiday, including the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History and the Andy Griffith Museum. Parade applications are available online at mountairydowntown.org or in person at the Mount Airy Visitors Center, Something Different on Main, and Mt. Airy Tractor Toyland.
There is a $50 fee for businesses to participate in the parade.
Veterans Memorial Park festivities begin at 5 p.m. and include food, live music presented by The Dennis Tolbert Band, beginning at 6:30, and spectacular fireworks at dark, sponsored by the Mount Airy Rotary Club and Surry Sunrise Rotary Club.
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