Let the celebration begin!

The 2017 Covered Bridge Celebration will kick off Thursday evening with an ice cream social and entertainment in Covered Bridge Park and continue Friday and Saturday with a variety of vendors, activities, and events for the whole family. The celebration will culminate on Saturday night with a musical performance by Grammy Award-winning country music artist Suzy Bogguss followed by a fireworks show.

While many of the events are traditional favorites for the festival, Elizabethton/Carter County Chamber of Commerce Director Tonya Stevens said something new is joining the lineup this year with a special free children’s area at the historic Bonnie Kate Theater.

“We’re still going to have our Kids Island with the inflatables and the dunk tank,” Stevens said. “The other area is more interactive. It is quite different from the typical festival attractions at Kids Island.”

The free kids area, which is called “Got the Kids Covered” will be open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday during the festival. Carter County Drug Prevention is sponsoring the area along with support from dozens of local businesses and organizations who are helping to provide free games, activities, programs, and prizes for the kids. The free events will include performances on the Bonnie Kate Theater Stage.

One event advertised for the festival had to be canceled, according to Stevens. CrossFit Kolona was slated to host the “Battle at the Bridge” CrossFit Competition.

“Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond their control they had to cancel the event,” Stevens said.

However, Stevens said the 5K/3K Run-Walk sponsored by Sycamore Shoals Hospital is still scheduled to take place on Saturday morning, as is the Community Yard Sale and the Little Mr. & Miss Hillbilly Contest, which Stevens said are all popular events each year at the festival.

The festival schedule is as follows:

Thursday

• 6 p.m. — Ice Cream Social sponsored by Food City

• 6-6:30 p.m. — Trailblazer Cloggers on the park stage

• 7-8 p.m. — Carson Peters & Iron Mountain on the park stage

Friday

• 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. — Kids Island sponsored by Sycamore Shoals Hospital — Riverside Drive & Edwards Island

• 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. — festival grounds open with arts and craft vendors as well as food vendors

• 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. — Free Kids Area at Bonnie Kate Theater

• 5-6 p.m. — Boots on the Ground on the park stage

• 6:30-7:30 p.m. — Mountain Rose on the park stage

• 8-9:15 p.m. — Blue Highway on the park stage

Friday at the Bonnie Kate Theater

• 11 a.m. — Kids’ yoga with Moonlight Zen

• 1 p.m.  — Exotic bird show

• 2 p.m. —  Jack and the Beanstalk by Bonnie Kate Theater

• 3 p.m. —  Kids’ yoga with Ascend Yoga

Saturday

• 6:30 a.m. — Registration for 5K/3K Run-Walk at Elizabethton City Hall

• 8 a.m. — 5K/3K Run-Walk begins

• 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. — Kids Island sponsored by Sycamore Shoals Hospital — Riverside Drive & Edwards Island

• 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. — festival grounds open with arts and craft vendors as well as food vendors

• 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. — Free Kids Area at Bonnie Kate Theater

• 11 a.m. — Little Mr. & Miss Hillbilly Contest sponsored by Double C Western Supply

• 3:30-4 p.m. — Watts Dance Studio on the park stage

• 5-9 p.m. — Cruise-In sponsored by the Carter County Car Club

• 5-6 p.m. — Bullseye Band on the park stage

• 6:30-7:30 p.m. — North Fork with Daniel Grindstaff on the park stage

• 8-9:15 p.m. — Suzy Bogguss on the park stage

• 9:15 p.m. — Saturday Night Fireworks Finale sponsored by SnapOn Tools

Saturday at the Bonnie Kate Theater

• 11 a.m. — Mr. Bill & Bodie Show

• Noon — Kids yoga with Ascend Yoga

• 1 p.m. — Franklin Tae Kwon Do demonstration

• 2 p.m. — East Tennessee Ballet Academy

• 3 p.m. — Trinity Arts Centers

• 4 p.m. — Jack and the Beanstalk by Bonnie Kate Theater

For more information, visit the Chamber of Commerce website at www.elizabethtonchamber.com.