By Nate Smith and Doug Rapp, Staff Writers
For another year, area residents will have a choice of festivals to celebrate the Fourth of July weekend.
Shoals and Washington are having their annual festivals starting today. At Eastside Park, the rides will start at 5 p.m. and last until 10 p.m.
Armbands for unlimited rides are $16 and individual rides are about $2.
Also on the main stage at the park, entertainment is slated from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Today, WAMW 107.9 FM will have a live remote. Thursday, the Sun Kings will appear and on Friday, local band American Pie will play.
On Saturday, the Fourth, rides and entertainment will start at 3 p.m. The band Starbound will play from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. At 5:30 p.m., Fonda and the Country Road Band will be on the main stage and at 8:15 p.m., Terry Lee and the Rock-a-Boogie band will take the stage.
According to Parks Superintendent Dan Neely, the fireworks celebration will take place around 10 p.m., when the Lee band finishes and the Star-Spangled Banner is played.
Shoals
The 24th annual Catfish Festival runs July 2 through the Fourth in Shoals. Also known as “Gills and Thrills,” the festival takes place along the White River near the downtown area.
Some new events added this year are a cornhole tournament, a motorcycle show and ride and a catfish bicycle ride, according to this year’s festival chairman, Dan Steiner.
Kicking off at 6 p.m. with the posting of the colors by the American Legion Post No. 61, the festival’s Thursday night activities also include the MARCO Singers and contests for Little Miss, Pre-Teen, Junior Miss, Little Firecrackers and the Catfish Festival Queen. At 8:30 p.m. the Martin County Idol Contest begins.
Friday’s activities include various sporting events, such as girls high school quad volleyball, flag football and softball. The catfish fishing contest runs from 4 to 9 p.m. off the main bridge and at 6 p.m. there’s a catfish cooking contest. Also at 6 is a corn-shelling contest. The Battle of the Bands cranks it up at 7 p.m. in front of the courthouse with acts “Limited Slip,” “Rusted River,” “That One Band” and “Old School.”
Saturday starts with breakfast burritos prepared by Psi Otes, a national philanthropic organization based in the Midwest, from 8 to 10 a.m. in front of the courthouse. The catfish fishing contest resumes from 7 a.m. to noon. The 5K Catfish Walk starts at 7:30 a.m. while the 5K Catfish Run starts at 8 a.m. Both 5Ks start at the ball park. More sporting events continue Saturday with a men’s basketball tournament at 8 a.m. and a volleyball tournament at 10 a.m.
The Catfish Festival Parade begins at 10:30 a.m. At 1 p.m. several events start, including the Catfish Garden Tractor Pull-Off, the WBDC 100.9 FM Cornhole Tournament of Champions, a motorcycle show and horseshoe pitch.
At 2 p.m. “The Big Catfish” contest awards the biggest catfish caught. Steiner said the winners commonly range from 30 to 50 pounds.
Two baby contests are held Saturday, 0 to 12 months at 2 p.m. and 13-24 months at 3 p.m., with both at the Shoals Christian Church Resource Center. Games for kids will begin at 5 p.m. Saturday in front of the recycling center.
The festival is capped off with the Great Catfish Festival Fireworks Display at 10 p.m. Saturday night.
Continuing events throughout the festival include a flea market on Main Street and the museum at the old courthouse. The motorcycle ride and catfish bicycle ride are at 9:30 Sunday morning.
Steiner said the festival usually draws between 2,000 and 3,000 people over the holiday weekend.
With no admission fee, the festival is a nice family event close to home, he said.
“We enjoy having everyone,” he said. “The hospitality is great.”
