The celebration begins today.
Elizabethton’s annual Covered Bridge Celebration, that is, and it promises to keep the downtown in a festive spirit for the better part of four days.
The festival will continue through Saturday night with a variety of arts and crafts vendors, food vendors, children’s activities and entertainment.
“We are excited and ready for the Covered Bridge Celebration,” said Chamber of Commerce Director Tonya Stevens. “I know it will be great.”
The festival starts tonight with Gospel Night entertainment. Performers will begin at 4:30 p.m. with a performance by Angel Steps Praise Dancers. Oak Street Baptist Church will perform at 4:45 p.m.; Dale Williams will perform at 6 p.m. and Zion Baptist Church will perform at 7:15 p.m. Headliner The Primitive Quartet will perform at 8:30 p.m.
Thursday night is Bluegrass Night, and entertainment will begin at 4 p.m. with a performance by the Dennis Cove Band. Jeff Brown & Still Lonesome will perform at 5 p.m. and the Carson Peters Band will perform at 6:15. Adkins & Loudermilk will play at 7:15 p.m. The headliner for the night, The Boxcars, will perform at 8:45 p.m.
Friday is Country Night. Entertainment will start at 4:30 p.m. with the Dandy Line Dancers followed by a performance by Bakersfield at 5 p.m. Acoustifried will play at 7:15 p.m. Headliner the Twang Bangers will perform at 8:30 p.m.
Saturday is Rock Night, and entertainment starts at 4 p.m. with Shooter. Trail Blazer Cloggers will perform at 5 p.m.; the Thursday Night Boys will play at 5:30 p.m. and Bulls Eye Band will perform at 6:30 p.m. The Beach Nite Band will play at 7:30 p.m. and Watts Dance Studio will take the stage at 8:30 p.m. Brad Puckett is the headlining entertainment and will perform at 9 p.m.
The festival will also feature Kid’s Island, arts and crafts vendors, resale marketplace vendors and food vendors.
“We have a great range of vendors,” Stevens said. “We will be featuring more local talent and that is great. The food vendors fill up quickly. We will have the traditional festival fare, along with some new additions.”
Some of those new additions include the Ole Barn Restaurant, which is on Okolona Road; Auntie Ruth’s featuring homemade doughnuts and a booth that will offer German food.
Other events that will take place during the Covered Bridge Celebration are:
Thursday, June 12
• Food City Ice Cream Social in the Park will be held at 5 p.m.
Friday, June 13
• Elizabethton Municipal Airport will be offering flights over Elizabethton from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $20 per person.
Saturday, June 14
• 5k run/3k walk sponsored by Sycamore Shoals Hospital starting at 6:30 a.m.
• E Street yard sale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Elizabethton Municipal Airport will be offering flights over Elizabethton from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $20 per person.
• Little Mr. and Mrs. Hillbilly Contest at 11 a.m.
• Carter County Car Club Cruise-In from 5-9 p.m.
For more information, call the Chamber of Commerce at 547-3850.