It’ll be hard to find a reason to say “There’s nothing to do” this summer.
That’s because the Elizabethton Parks and Recreation Department has a series of special events planned at the city’s parks throughout the warm-weather months.
Parks and Recreation Director Mike Mains said the special events were part of the department’s goal to bring more recreation opportunities to the city.
“We are always working to bring more recreation opportunities to our parks,” Mains said.
The events will be kicked off with a Fourth of July celebration in Covered Bridge Park.
The celebration will be held on July 4 from 1-4 p.m. The celebration will begin with a ceremony honoring veterans. It will also feature two bands, inflatables, a bicycle parade for children and the Great American Dog Fight, which will determine the best-tasting hot dog in Elizabethton.
“We wanted to do something for the Fourth of July,” Mains said. “There will not be a parade this year, so we were looking at options for what we could do to celebrate the holiday.”
The Fourth of July celebration will be the first in a series of events that will be held by the Parks and Recreation Department.
Also starting in July, the Parks and Recreation Department will be hosting several Bridge Jams, also in the Covered Bridge Park. The Bridge Jams will make use of the new Covered Bridge stage, which will make its debut during the Fourth of July festivities.
Mains said 10 outdoor concerts will be held this summer and next spring.
“We have been working with local bands to line up entertainment for the Bridge Jams,” he said. “We will have a wide variety of music, including bluegrass, country and gospel.”
On Aug. 16, an outdoor movie will be held at Joe O’Brien Field and on Aug. 30, The Splash, a pool party, will be held at Franklin Pool. These events will also feature inflatables for children and live music.
A Halloween Bash is also planned for downtown Elizabethton.