The first Independence Day parade in the nation marks its 35th year with a happy birthday wish for the United States of America on July 4 in the foothills of the beautiful Smoky Mountains.
For the 35th consecutive year, Gatlinburg kicks off America’s celebration with the nation’s first parade, which leads off in the opening moment of the holiday at 12 a.m. on Sunday, July 4, to the cheers of close to 100,000 spectators.
Featuring a special tribute to our military personnel among the many highlights of this one-of-a-kind patriotic event, participants in the parade are being encouraged to display how many years they have been in business or otherwise organized, with many of the entries celebrating landmark anniversaries this year.
Featured as one of the Parade’s Grand Marshals will be Ripley’s Entertainment, which is celebrating 40 years in Gatlinburg, with Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies marking its 10th year along with the opening of Penguins Playhouse in April.
At least one of the participants will be celebrating the future as well. The Riverside, Iowa Community Club will have a parade-sized Star Trek starship, the U.S.S. Riverside, in the parade. Riverside is the official future birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk. Members of the Riverside Community Club will blog their journey to Gatlinburg on the internet at www.trekfest.com .
Also featured in the parade will be the 129th U.S. Army Band, and members of the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marines, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Coast Guard, plus vintage military vehicles, local area public safety agencies, and lots more.
Stretching more than a mile in length, over 100 units will make their way through Gatlinburg, showcasing many elaborately decorated floats, helium balloons, equestrian entries and a large contingent of our armed services men & women. The parade is very exciting regardless of age.
Check out the parade route early to choose your best observation spot as some of the tens of thousands of spectators will start placing their folding chairs along the route as early as 7 a.m. on July 3.
In addition to their participation in the parade, the 129th Army Marching Band, Boyertown (Penn.) Alumni Marching Unit, the Nashville Suzuki Strings and Knoxville Pipe & Drum will also perform in free concerts downtown during the July 4 weekend.,
“This will be one of the most patriotic and colorful midnight parades that the City of Gatlinburg has ever produced,” said Special Events Manager George Hawkins, who organized the first Gatlinburg 4th of July parade in 1976 in celebration of America’s Bicentennial. “We are very excited about the entire weekend of events, which will include a two-day festival highlighting our armed services.”
Gatlinburg’s popular River Raft Regatta takes place at noon on Sunday, July 4 beginning at the Christ In The Smokies bridge on River Road and ending at the Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies bridge in downtown Gatlinburg. This unmanned river raft race is open to anything floatable except balls and plastic eggs, with one category for works of art or handmade treasures, another for trash such as plastic beverages bottles, and a third for small items such as pill bottles. In the past, families have entered boats made out of matches or popsicle sticks as well as little rubber ducks. Registration begins at 10 a.m., with the race beginning promptly at noon. Prizes will be awarded. Support for the River Raft Regatta is provided by the Gatlinburg Recreation Department.
Then, just an hour after sundown, the Fourth’s Grand Finale occurs on the streets of downtown Gatlinburg with a fireworks extravaganza visible all along the Parkway and adjacent downtown areas starting about 10 p.m. Lasting almost 20 minutes in duration, the sights and sounds of “the rocket’s red glare” will fill the sky as a fitting tribute to this day of celebrating freedom.
For more information about the 35th Annual 4th of July Midnight Parade or the River Raft Regatta, please call 800-56-VISIT (568-4748) or visit www.gatlinburg.com.
July 3 Activities
1 p.m. – Nite Fire of the 129th Army Band (Rock Group) at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies Plaza.
12 midnight – 35th annual Fourth of July Midnight Parade.
July 4 Schedule
10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. – River Raft Regatta, Pigeon River between Christ In the Smokies and Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies.
1 p.m. – Direct Hit of the 129th Army Band (R&B/Jazz Group) at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies Plaza
4 p.m. – Nashville Suzuki Strings at the Gatlinburg Inn
4 p.m. – Boyertown Alumni Marching Unit at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies Plaza
8 p.m. – Nashville Suzuki Strings at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies Plaza
8:30 p.m. – 129th Army Concert Band at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies Plaza
10 p.m. – Fireworks Finale in Downtown
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