Fourth festivity abounds Friday

Bogota --

The annual Bogota July 4 holiday parade is set to start at 9 a.m. at the community center.

Fire and rescue vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles, antique cars, tractors and horses (with riders) are expected.

The parade begins at the Bogota Community Center and winds through the narrow streets of the town on both sides of Highway 78. Following the parade there is cake and ice cream served underneath the trees at the center.

Entrants are encouraged to show their appreciation to veterans and those currently serving the country by decorating their antique cars, tractors, motorcycles, wagons, bicycles, etc., in red, white and blue.

Everyone is welcome to participate.

For more information, contact Judy Childress at 285-1412 or 285-8417.

Trimble --

For almost three decades, Trimble has celebrated Independence Day with a parade and family-style celebration in the center of town.

With the upcoming election, organizers expect a large turnout for the event, even with the postponement of the traditional 5K run.

The 5K, sponsored by the Trimble Lions Club, usually takes place around 6 p.m. during Trimble's 4th of July celebration. Due to the heat, the run has been rescheduled until the cooler weather of fall.

Friday's opening ceremonies will begin at 5 p.m. at the gazebo, with the town's annual 4th of July parade following. Residents interested in joining the parade are invited to line up on Obion Street.

The Nash/Vegas Band is scheduled to perform after the parade, with a fireworks show planned when darkness falls.

Hamburgers, hot dogs, homemade ice cream and other concessions will be available, as well as 'train' rides and inflatables for the children.

The Trimble Independence Day activities are co-sponsored by the Women's Club, the Lions Club and the Town of Trimble.

Dyersburg --

Dyersburg will hold its traditional fireworks show on the campus of Dyersburg High School this year, not at Dyersburg State Community College.

But the college lawns will be a great place to see the colorful explosions.

The fireworks will be shot from the paved parking lot between the football and baseball fields at DHS, a point easily viewed by spectators from the DHS campus, Okeena Park, Green Village Shopping Center, DSCC and locations along both Parkview and the Highway 51 Bypass.

Construction on the DSCC campus and fallout from the fireworks causing damage to the roofs of the new buildings has been named as the reason for the change of location.

Spectators to the show should expect more "fancy shots" this year, including smiley faces and hearts, fireworks planner Gerald Ketchum said. A longer and more spectacular finale is slated to cap the end of the show.

Fireworks are slated to begin detonation when the night sky is suitable, said Ketchum.