Ripley ready to celebrate July 4th
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RIPLEY -- The City of Ripley will present its 153rd Fourth of July festivities Thursday through Tuesday, July 4.
"It's Ripley's way to celebrate the birth of our country." Mayor Carolyn Rader said about the six days of Fourth of July entertainment.
The celebration starts 6 p.m. Thursday with Patriots on Wheels, where children will have a bicycle-decorating contest before the Constellium Bicycle Parade on North Street. Following the bicycle parade will be Dancing in the Street and United States Trivia from 7:30-9:30 p.m.
The carnival to support First Responders, sponsored by the Ripley Volunteer Fire Department, will start at 6 p.m. and will run until 11 p.m. every night. To round out the night on the courthouse lawn, the Western West Virginia Metro Band will play at 6:30 p.m. and the Charleston Metro Band will play at 8 p.m.
At 5:30 p.m. is Class Act, the class reunion for all graduates of Ripley High School.
"It's for the people who have come home for the holiday." Rader said about the special reunion.
The highlight show at 8 p.m. Friday is country music entertainer Ronnie McDowell. The show is on the courthouse lawn.
Featured at 6 p.m. Saturday is singer Ben Fuller in a show sponsored by U Turn.
Sunday will include concerts by Corey Hager, a Ripley native, and the Nashville Band at 4:30 p.m., Glen Shelton at 6 p.m. and Morgan White at 7:30 p.m.
Musical acts continue on Monday with the 5 Spot Band at 6 p.m. and Adam Tucker, also known as Vegas McGraw, with the Tim McGraw Tribute at 8 p.m. on the Constellium Stage.
At 7 a.m. Tuesday, the Calvary Pancake Breakfast will be held followed by the Little Patriot's Hour at 9 a.m. and is dedicated to children's activities. The opening ceremony at 10 a.m. will be followed at 11:30 a.m. by the Firecracker Race by Main Street of Ripley.
America's Largest Small Town Independence Day Parade starts at noon and will be led by the U.S. Air National Guard Band of the Northeast. The grand marshals is the family of Mike Ruben.
Ruben was the director of the city's Convention and Visitors Bureau who passed away in January.
Following the parade will be the last of the music acts including Kids on First and Kurt Shultis at 2 p.m., Ultra Sound at 4 p.m., Power of Love, the Huey Lewis and the News tribute band at 6 p.m. and the U.S Air National Guard Band of the Northeast at 8 p.m.
Concluding Ripley's Fourth of July celebration at 10 p.m. will be the fireworks finale sponsored by Dutch Miller of Ripley.
"The best part about the celebration is that everything is free, apart from the carnival and the hot dogs or any food you want, it doesn't cost anything," Rader said. "It's wonderful and it's due to all the generous people and the community. And if there's any bad weather or errors, we're going to be positive and improve upon it next year."
For more information about the celebration, go to www.ripleyfourthofjuly.com.