Kiwanis Club of Dothan invites community to celebrate ‘Family Fourth’

What do you get when you combine food, fun, musical entertainment, fireworks and vintage automobiles? The members of the Kiwanis Club of Dothan call that combination the Family Fourth Celebration.

This will mark the second year that the local civic club will present a day-long outing for families to celebrate the birth of the United States of America.

Last year’s event proved to be a rousing success, as more than 12,000 visitors turned out for the inaugural event.
Proceeds from this event help support the club’s annual projects that benefit the community.

“Last year’s festival was a huge success - bigger and better than we expected,” said Robin Rainer, owner of The Image Agency and a member of the Kiwanis Club of Dothan, during Tuesday morning’s press conference to announce the plans for this year’s event.

“We’ve added more things, including 19 to 20 concerts, sponsored by Buffalo Rock, on three different stages. We will also have a motorcycle show, hot air balloon rides, which are new this year, the Kids Zone, an arts and crafts market place, lots of food, an antique car show and fireworks.”

Tickets purchased in advance are $5. At the gate, they will be $8. Children 12 and under will be admitted free. Visitors will be allowed to come and go throughout the day, provided they get stamped at the gate as they leave.
Gates will open at 10 a.m. The Family Fourth Celebration will last throughout the day. The Red, White and Boom Fireworks Show, presented by Movie Gallery, will be held just after dark.

Following the fireworks show, a concert, featuring Fairlane from Tupelo, Miss., will wrap up the day’s events. The concert will be held on the Buffalo Rock Stage, which will be located near the area where the fireworks show will take place.

The Car Show, hosted by the Wiregrass Antique and Collector Car Club and sponsored by Michelin, should be a crowd-pleaser again this year.

“Last year, we were excited about the participation,” said David Plunkett of the Wiregrass Antique and Collector Car Club. “We had 80 cars last year. Word has gotten around. We’re expecting more this year.”

Plunkett noted there will be 30 different classifications in the car show. Models will range from the early 1900s through cars and trucks from the 1990s.

For those who enjoy motorcycles, the Family Fourth Celebration has you covered as well.

“Last year, the motorcycle show was absolutely amazing,” said Debbie Trueblood of WiregrassLive.com, sponsor of the event. “This year, the Bike Show is a benefit to support a fellow motorcyclist, Mark Muldoon. He will be out of work at least a year at a minimum.”

Muldoon was injured in an accident on the Ross Clark Circle June 2. He is hospitalized in Birmingham.

In addition to the Bike Show, which will feature eight classes, there will also be two Motorcycle Stunt Shows - offered at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.

American Classifieds will once again provide the Kids Zone. Fifteen large inflatables, fully staffed, will be available for children to enjoy along with numerous rides.

Wiregrass Electric Cooperative will provide a new event this year - the Touchstone Energy Hot Air Balloon, which is based in Indiana.

“We’re proud to bring the balloon to the Family Fourth,” said Cary Hatcher, manager of Member Relations for Wiregrass Electric Cooperative. “Weather permitting, we will do a ride at sunrise and another one at sunset. In the afternoon, we will offer tethered rides.”

Live entertainment will be held on three stages and will take place throughout the day.

“We will have music of all types,” said Kerry Farrell of The Main Event. “The music will include gospel, rock, reggae, country, steel drum, bluegrass and much more.”

Mercy Rain, from Enterprise, will kick off the musical entertainment at 10 a.m. on the Pepsi Stage. Fairlane will wrap up the day with a concert at 9:45 p.m. For a complete schedule of the entertainment, visit http://www.Family4thCelebration.com.

Visitors to the Family Fourth are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets to enjoy the concerts and the fireworks show.

Advance tickets are on sale now. Outlets include all Movie Gallery locations, Azar’s, Smokies, The Image Agency and American Classifieds.

For more information, call 699-1475.

(Elaine Brackin is managing editor of The Dothan Progress.)