33rd Annual Sewanee Fourth of July Celebration
The 33rd Annual Sewanee Fourth of July Celebration
Street Dance
The celebration will begin on Wednesday, July 3, with the Street Dance at the Sewanee Market at 8 p.m. featuring Bad Nayber. Stay until midnight to start the Fourth off right! The rain location for the Street Dance is Cravens Hall. Ball Park Road will close at 4 p.m. on July 3 for the Street Dance.
Sunrise Yoga
The Sewanee Community Center is hosting a Sunrise Yoga session at 6:15 a.m. in Manigault Park. The class is free and for any level of yoga ability. Mats, bolsters, blocks and straps will be provided. The rain location is in Sewanee Community Center.
Flag Raising
Begin your Fourth with music and song at the 47th annual Flag Raising at Juhan Bridge in Abbo’s Alley. Come join us at 8 a.m. to sing patriotic songs accompanied by the Sewanee Summer Music Festival’s brass quintet, and then watch our local Scout Troop 14 raise the flag. A potluck breakfast immediately follows.
Our sponsors, The Friends of Abbo’s Alley, will offer coffee and juice. Please add to the sausage biscuits by bringing your favorite breakfast finger foods (or make a small donation). The potluck breakfast is amidst the Smith, Gardner and Beaumont Zucker homes at 139 and 143 Florida Avenue.
Enter Abbo’s Alley from Florida Avenue to receive a program. For more information or to volunteer to serve coffee or juice, call Margaret Beaumont Zucker at (931) 598-5214.
Pub Run
Join the Monteagle Sunday School Assembly in celebrating their 42nd Annual Pub Run starting at 8 a.m. Runners will meet at the MSSA Front Gate and run to Shenanigan’s (6.4 miles) on the Mountain Goat Trail. Walkers may start at Dollar General. The fee for the run is $20. Pre-register at the MSSA Office or call 924-2286 for more information. All are welcome to participate. There will be awards for winners and beer at the finish line.
Arts & Crafts Fair
The Arts & Crafts Fair will begin at 9 a.m., Thursday, July 4 at Shoup Park. There will be a variety of art for sale. On July 4, please do not park on the streets around Shoup Park to accommodate the Arts & Crafts Fair.
Mutt Show
Enter your favorite pooch in the 2019 Fourth of July Mutt Show! All dogs are welcome to compete—no talent necessary. The Mutt Show will begin in Manigault Park at 10 a.m. You may pre-register at <sewanee4thofjuly.org> under Event Registration. You may also register on the day of the event from 9 to 9:45 a.m. Ribbons will be awarded for these canine categories: Best Dressed, “Grooviest” Doggie, Owner/Dog Look-Alike, Best Trick, and Judges’ Choice. There will also be an award for Best Dog Joke. Entrants may register to compete in two categories. The registration fee is $5 per category, and all proceeds will go to help fund the fireworks display. There is a suggested donation of $1 for audience members—those proceeds will go to help our furry friends at Animal Harbor and MARC. We are looking for volunteers to help with set up, registration and doggie line-up. If you are interested, please contact Sarah Butler at <sarah.butler@sewanee.edu>.
Cake Decorating
Calling all cake bakers! Have a favorite cake recipe or a talent for cake decorating? Put your skills on display this Fourth of July by entering your cake in the Sewanee Woman’s Club Annual Cake Contest! Entering is free of charge, and the winner of the Best All-Around Cake gets $100 cash, courtesy of IvyWild Catering. But there’s more!
Adult winners of the Best Tasting, Best Decorated, and Best Representation of the Theme cakes each get a ribbon and $50 gift certificate from Octoπ. Under-13 winners of the Best Tasting, Best Decorated, and Best Representation of the Theme cakes each get a ribbon and a gift card. There will also be a Best All-Around winner for the children’s cakes.
Winners of the Best Tasting, Best Decorated, and Best Representation of the Theme contests will be entered in the Best All-Around Competition. Thanks to Ken Taylor for his ribbon sponsorship.
Show up to register and set up your cake between 9–9:45 a.m. on Thursday, July 4, in St. Mark’s Hall at Otey Parish. You may also pre-register at <sewanee4thofjuly.org> under Event Registration.
Winners will be announced at noon. All are invited to view the cake entries, and there will be a cake tasting party on site afterwards. Enter as an individual or as a team. One entry per person or per team.
Questions? Please call Susan Peek at (615) 504-5404.
String Blazers Performance
The String Blazers ensemble under the direction of Jess Wilson will perform in Shoup Park at 10 a.m. Come listen to music while you browse the Arts & Crafts Fair offerings.
Children’s Games
Children’s games and bounce houses will be available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Quad. If you are interested in volunteering to help with the children’s games, send a message on <sewanee4thofjuly.org> under Contact Us or send an email to <info@sewanee4thofjuly.org>.
Food
Vendors along University Avenue will begin selling food and drinks at 10 a.m.
Leave Us a Memory
The Sewanee Trust for Historic Preservation invites you to Leave Us a Sewanee Memory - you have 4 Minutes! from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Folks at Home office just below Reed Lane and Sewanee Elementary School. The STHP wants to gather residents, visitors, former residents, relatives of residents, and anyone else who has a story to tell about people, places, or events in Sewanee. The participants in this oral history event will need to provide their name and signature allowing the recording for future use. We hope those who “Leave Us a Sewanee Memory” will have fun telling their stories — and maybe they will want to have a longer interview with STHP members later in the summer. Information on the Oral History program for the community and the Sewanee Trust organization will be available.
Corn Hole, Craft Beer and BBQ
From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., hang out downtown and get ready for the parade with fun games of corn hole, refreshing craft beer and delicious barbeque.
Patriotic Photo Booth
This is a new event at the new store 1866 Revival (next to Taylor’s). Come have your picture taken with a vintage VW bus staged by Heirlooms Vintage Rentals. You will receive a free mini Polaroid picture while supplies last.
See Sewanee’s Future
From noon to 2 p.m: See Sewanee’s Future at The Blue House. This will be an open house featuring the downtown development project plans. Take the opportunity to see the future of Sewanee and learn about the Master Plan for the additions to downtown Sewanee. This project has been in the planning stages since 2012 and is now on the brink of action with specific projects to vitalize the Sewanee Downtown. University Special Assistant to the Vice Chancellor, Frank Gladu and Director of Implementation from Town Planning and Urban design Collaborative, Becky Timmons, will be on hand to describe the plan, the projects and answer questions. All are welcome including developers and investors who are needed to bring the plan to life. Learn more at <sewanee.edu/village>.
Breslin Tower Bells
Also at noon, The University of the South Guild of Change-Ringers will perform at Breslin Tower.
Picnic Contest
The Sewanee Fourth of July Committee is proud to announce a new event for this years’ festivities - a Picnic Contest. For those of you who have a great setup for the Fourth and like to host a party for your family and friends, why not enter our contest to see if your picnic is the best. The winner will receive a brand new Picnic Basket set. Participants will setup their picnics in their usual spots up and down University Avenue and then starting at 1 p.m. on July 4, judges will visit each entry. If you are interested and would like to enter or if you have any questions regarding the contest, please contact Amanda Bailey at <asbailey@sewanee.edu>.
Carillon Concert
Charlene Williamson, Hannah True and Raymond Gotko will perform a Carillon Recital at 1 p.m. Bring a chair to All Saints’ Chapel to enjoy the music.
Parade Entries
The Fourth of July Parade Committee has been working for months on the biggest, best, most arms-open-wide parade Sewanee has ever seen. There will be fire engines, police cars, the grand marshal, candy galore, and this year they want you and your organization to be recognized and cheered on in the Peace, Love, and Fireworks parade.
Sewanee’s Fourth of July Parade celebrates America and its origins at a time when the ideals of freedom and good citizenship were agreed upon by all. The parade is an event where everyone feels welcome and respected—where spectators and participants alike feel proud of our town for its creativity, diversity, and mutual respect.
The committee wants you to know there are so many creative ways to strut your stuff up University Avenue, and they range from traditional and elaborate to simple, elegant, memorable, and bizarre. Anything with wheels is good: flatbeds, cars, convertibles, golf carts, wagons, wheelbarrows, bikes, big wheels, scooters; but on foot (or hooves) could be even better, especially if you’ve got a colorful banner (and/or signs, big hats, confetti, giant pinwheels) declaring who you are and what you do for this diverse community.
The parade begins at 2 p.m on Thursday, July 4, with line-up on Lake O’Donnell Road starting at noon and ending at 1 p.m. This is when and where the judging will be: trophies for best float, best decorated vehicle, and best horse; and blue ribbons for best decorated bicycle, best banner, and best costume.
Lake O’Donnell Road will be closed to through traffic from 1:15 to 2:15 p.m. During the parade, Hall Street will be one-way only from University to Georgia Avenue. All parade entrants should come into Lake O’Donell from the Market side, so they can check in. Late entrants will have to pay a $20 fee.
Parade Observers
Please do not park on University Avenue. All vehicles must be moved before 1 p.m. to make room for the parade.
The parade will begin at 2 p.m., starting at the Sewanee Market and will travel through town, turning on to Hall Street and ending in the parking lot behind the Hospitality Shop. All sirens will be turned off at Texas Avenue.
Air Show & Rides
The Fourth of July committee is sorry to announce that the Airplane Rides and Air Show are canceled this year due to a lack of pilots. We hope to be able to bring these events back in the future.
Volleyball Tournament
Everyone ages 13 and up is invited to participate in a volleyball tournament starting at 5 p.m. at Lake Cheston. Each team must have at least four players and at least two females. Register online at <sewanee4thofjuly.org> under Event Registration to reserve your team’s spot in the tournament or register on July 4 at the event. There is no fee to participate, and the grand prize is $100 cash.
Patriotic Celebration
The Sewanee Summer Music Festival students will perform a Patriotic Celebration at 7 p.m. in the Quad.
Fireworks
After dark, the Fireworks Show will be at Lake Cheston. There will be a suggested donation of $1 to contribute to next year’s fireworks. Parking at the Lake will be limited to handicapped and special needs only. Chief Marie Ferguson asks that if you need a handicap or special need parking pass for the fireworks show, please go by the Sewanee Police Station. Simply go to the window at the station, give your name, and you will be given a pass. If you have a permanent handicap tag you will not need a temporary one.
Texas Avenue will close at 6 p.m. in advance of the fireworks.
A shuttle will be available starting at 6 p.m. at the EQB Monument to transport people to and from the fireworks. The cost per person is $3. To keep pedestrians leaving the fireworks safe, the shuttle will not run after the fireworks until all pedestrian traffic clears.