New activities set for downtown celebration
The 2007 Main Street Fourth of July celebration is panning out to be another great event where local residents and visitors can enjoy the beauty of the renovated downtown and Court Square. This theme for this year’s celebration is ‘Race for the 4th’ in honor of The Great Race pit stop in McMinnville on Monday from 2 to 4 p.m.
Heritage Alliance chairman and McMinnville Alderman Jimmy Haley says the celebration will include all the community favorites, like the Stars and Stripes Fun Run/Walk and the Yankee Doodle Children’s Parade, but will also feature some fresh and original activities making their way to the starting line this year, including a racing theme window decorating contest downtown with prizes for the most creative displays.
Many of the events involve crowd participation, giving attendees a chance to test out their skills in several friendly competitions in addition to the Fun Run/Walk.
‘We’re doing a scavenger hunt that’s going to be automobile related,’ Haley said. ‘And there’s going to be a Pinewood Derby race.’
According to Pinewood Derby organizer Carla King, the Pinewood Derby is a cooperative effort between the local Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints Scout Troop 313 and the city of McMinnville. Rules will be based on regular Boy Scout Pinewood Derby specifications for cars, and cars will be weighed, but King says this will be a casual competition, so some leeway will be allowed.
The scouts will set up a Pinewood Derby track next to the Citizen’s Tri-County Bank in the Children’s Corner area, and provide an official to score and judge the races. There will be two divisions, ages 12 and under, and ages 13 and over. There are also plans to award prizes for most unique design and the best decoration.
For more information on this event, contact the Main Street office at 506-5335.
Haley said the Heritage Alliance Museum will be open and there will a special Freedom of Expression art show featuring local artists with works related to Warren County history or themes. The art show will be housed in the lobby of Region’s Bank and encompass a number of mediums, including painting, photography and found-item collage.
According to organizers, there will be food galore as the Band Boosters Club will be selling Italian ices, chocolate-covered bananas, funnel cakes, deep fried Oreos, Snickers, Milky Way and bottled water. The Lions Club will be offering sno-cones, nachos, hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and drinks.
The day will culminate with the traditional Fireworks Display at the Civic Center, sponsored by Dr Pepper, beginning at 9 p.m. Organizers advise those attending to come early to get a good spot.