As preparation continues for the 2018 Covered Bridge Celebration, a newer addition is ready to make even more of an impact this year.

During last year’s celebration, Jilian Reece, with Carter County Drug Prevention Coalition, was able to help spearhead the inaugural year of the Covered Bridge Celebration free kids’ activity area.

This year’s celebration takes place June 7-9 and Reece recently announced this year’s installment of the kids’ area will be bulked up to a two-day affair.

“Last year was amazing,” Reece said about the kids’ area. “We saw almost 1,000 kids, so it was great to be able to give all those kids in our community something they could afford and have fun doing. We learned some things last year and decided to change it up a little this year so that families will have different events to attend on Friday and Saturday.”

This year’s schedule is:

FRIDAY, JUNE 8 – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at UT-Extension of Carter County Office

Games and other activities will be offered by the following organizations:

• BABE Breastfeeding Coalition/Southern Appalachian Birth Network/CCHD

• Ballad Health Resources Center

• Camp Ta-Pa-Win-Go

• Carter County Drug Prevention Coalition

• Carter County Health Department/Grow Carter County

• CHIPS Domestic Violence Shelter

• Cooper’s Gem Mine

• Elizabethton/Carter County Public Library

• Elizabethton Parks and Recreation/Elizabethton Twins

• Frontier Health Regional Intervention Program

• Imagination Library of Carter County

• Macaroni Kids Tri-Cities

• Pioneer Tattoo Company

• TennCare Kids

• Treadway Travel Company – Rebecca Marr

• UETHDA Head Start

• UT Extension

SATURDAY, JUNE 9

Bonnie Kate Kids Stage

• 10 a.m. – East Tennessee Ballet Company

• 11 a.m. – Taekwondo – Franklin Taekwondo (free passes for attendees)

• 12 p.m. – Kindermusik class

• 1 p.m. – Exotic Bird and Animal Show

Parent versus kids kickball and softball games will also be provided from 2 to 4 p.m. at Kiwanis and Harmon Parks with winners being recognized at Covered Bridge Park mainstage. Individuals can visit the Carter County Drug Prevention Coalition Facebook page and search for “Covered Bridge Celebration Sports: Kids vs. Parents” to register for the games.

Having the support from numerous agencies has helped make this event become a reality, according to Reece.

“We couldn’t do this without community partners coming together,” she said. “It would be nearly impossible for me to do this alone. But when we have 20 organizations each providing an opportunity for kids, it makes for a really great event.

“I also value this event because most of the partners coming together for this event have amazing resources to provide to families in our community,” Reece continued. “It gives them an opportunity to educate parents while their kids play.”

Musical headline acts for the Covered Bridge Celebration include Carson Peters, Doyle Lawson and Billy Dean. To learn more about the event, visit the Annual Covered Bridge Celebration Facebook page.