Pikeville celebrates the 4th
By Sam Atkins
Published in News on July 4, 2004 7:12 AM
PIKEVILLE -- Carolyn Mack could not get enough of the water slide. It was the first thing she headed towards when she arrived Saturday morning for the Independence Day Festival.
Her mother, Crystal, watched as she slid down four or five times and then Carolyn, 5, was ready to move on to the next game.
Their family moved to Fremont last week and Mrs. Mack said they have been well received.
"Everybody is so friendly here," she said.
They planned on going to all of the events and then coming back later for the fireworks, which were scheduled for 9:30 p.m. She was impressed with the turnout and was surprised that she did not have to buy tickets for anything and could just let her daughter enjoy everything.
The seventh-annual festival was hosted by the Pikeville Lions Club. It began Friday evening with 54 participants taking part in a 5K run. Following the run, the Charles B. Aycock Jazz Band played for an hour. The schedule was full Saturday beginning with a yard sale at 7 a.m.
The opening ceremonies began at 10 a.m. and Kelsey Fleming was crowned Miss Independence while Brian Glover received the Mr. Independence distinction. The town's Distinguished Man is Buck Thompson and the Distinguished Woman is Dora Vail.
The rest of the day was filled with children's games, a lawn mower tractor pull, car show, horse shoe competition, entertainment by the Fun Loving Steppers, variety show, music by DJ Luke Vail, gospel singing by Sanctified, Servant's Heart and other groups and the popular fireworks show scheduled for last night. Mayor Herb Sieger was the emcee for the festival.
The Cotton Museum held a salute to the military with displays and all military signed in to win a drawing for two plaques.
Shirley Hoggard, 63, attended her first Pikeville July 4th festival with her grandson, Wayland, 9. They had a full day going to the tractor pull first and then Wayland went straight to the water slide.
"It's a way for children to be cool," said Mrs. Hoggard.
She had never seen a tractor pull before and was amazed at how the children were riding while the front of the tractors rose up in the air, not fazing them one bit.
"It was great, they were so cute."
There was a first place trophy for each class and ribbons for the rest of the places in the tractor pull.
Hannah Grantham, 10, finished third in the pull's 850-pound class and also rode in the 950-pound and 1050-pound class. She enjoys the hobby and has gone to several pull's before.
"I like driving them," she said.
The car show was a new event this year and there were both old and new cars on display.
Donald Parnell from Rosewood showed his 1929 Model A Ford, which he has had for five years. He said he always keeps it ready to show, along with some of his other collectibles, including a 1925 Model T Ford and a 1940 Ford. He also enjoys driving them.
He said several people came by to look at his car and he planned on being there throughout the day to talk cars with anyone who was interested.
"I've enjoyed being out here," he said.