29 Jun 2017 Festivities scheduled to celebrate Fourth of July

Posted at 12:18 PMh in News by

Communities throughout the 501 have planned a variety of activities to celebrate Independence Day.

MAUMELLE

The Maumelle Area Chamber of Commerce will present the Fourth Annual Cardboard Boat Race at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 4, at Lake Willastein. This event runs in conjunction with the City of Maumelle’s 4th Fest activities.

Each year, Maumelle hosts 1000-plus visitors at these events, and organizers expect this year to be even bigger.

Boat check-in will begin at 2 p.m. The race will start immediately after the parade which begins at 4 p.m. This year’s theme is “The Stars Come Out.”

Teams will consist of only two participants in each boat. Competition heats will be broken down into three divisions: Youth – both racers are 17 years and younger; Family – one adult and one youth under 17; Corporate – two adult racers. All teams must have one participant 12 yrs. or older. Fastest of the Fleet awards will be given in each division. Additional awards include Sinking with Style, Team Spirit Award and Floating with Flare.

This event is sponsored by State Farm Anthony Otwell Agency and State Farm Lee Tuxhorn Agency. The race is presented by the Maumelle Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Maumelle Parks and Recreation Department.

For more information, visit maumellechamber.com or call 501.851.9700.

MORRILTON

The 19th Annual Fabulous Fourth will begin at 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 4, at Morrilton’s Cherokee Park on the Arkansas River.

Thanks to community sponsors, everything is free at Conway County’s Independence Day celebration. This year’s event will feature the Akeem Kemp Band and other musical entertainment. Additional festivities include bounce houses, a water slide, video games, a car show, a drag racing car, an obstacle course, face painting, numerous games for children, an apple pie bake-off and the largest fireworks display in the Arkansas River Valley.  

Free hot dogs, watermelon, iced tea, lemonade and snow cones will be available from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Children’s games will take place throughout that time. The 9:15 p.m. fireworks display will conclude this year’s Fabulous Fourth event.

Attendees may bring picnic baskets, coolers, lawn chairs and blankets. A shuttle for those who need assistance from the parking area will be available. Participants in the apple pie bake-off can obtain an entry form on the Facebook event page titled “Fabulous Fourth Arkansas River Valley.”  

For more information, visit fabulousfourth.wix.com/fab4 or find the event on Facebook. A full list of event sponsors is available as well as an up-to-date schedule of all activities.

Directions to Cherokee Park, located at 1 Quincy Drive, Morrilton: From Interstate 40, take Morrilton exit 107 and go south on Oak Street. Turn west on Hwy. 64 (Broadway). Turn South on Cherokee Street and follow the signs to the Fabulous Fourth.