Stars and Stripes Freedom Festival

 Celebrate Independence Day with your family and join your neighbors and friends at the Stars & Stripes Freedom Festival, to be held in Central Park in Fernandina Beach on Friday, July 4, 2008 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.!

A Touch-A-Truck Public Safety display is scheduled to exhibit vehicles from the City of Fernandina Beach Police, Fire/Rescue and Streets Departments, Nassau County Sheriff’s Office and Fire/Rescue, Florida Highway Patrol, Coast Guard, Rayonier, Rick Keffer Dodge – Chrysler – Jeep, and more.  The display will include cars, trucks, helicopter, boats, motorcycles, dump trucks, garbage trucks, excavators, front-end loaders, 18 wheel log truck, school buses, limousines, tow trucks, an antique hearse, race cars and other vehicles and machinery.  Visitors can meet some of the personnel who protect, serve and work in our community and learn about functions and features of these vehicles. 

Musical entertainment will be provided by S. H. O. P (10 a.m.), Refuge (10:30 a.m.), The Country Connection Band (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.) and Elemental Notation (1:30 p.m.) Other activities include a Parent-Child Look-A-Like Contest (sign up starting at 10 a.m., contest at 1:00 p.m.), an All American Apple Pie Contest (winner announced at Noon), Fun for the Kids playground, arts and crafts vendors, Jacksonville Jaguars Booster Club and campaign booths. Parents and kids, make a thank you card to send to a member of the active military at the Wal-Mart Craft Center.   Food will be offered by the Fernandina Beach High School Band, Yulee Volunteer Fire Department, Girls Scouts and at the American Legion Hall.  Menu items include hamburgers, hot dogs, smoked turkey legs, corndogs, pulled pork sandwiches, cotton candy, boiled peanuts, sno-cones, watermelon slices and lots more!

More information and applications for the contests can be found on the www.shinybadgesball.com website under the Stars & Stripes Freedom Festival tab or they can be emailed or faxed.   For more information, to participate, volunteer, or to be a sponsor, contact Marty Scott at 904-753-4467, fax 904-321-5643, or email shinybadgesball@gmail.com.  

That same evening, from 6 to 8 p.m., the Historic Fernandina Business Association will present Sounds on Centre concert in the 100 block of Centre Street.  “Art”rageous First Friday, an evening of art, food and entertainment, will also be held at various galleries throughout the historic district. The Annual City of Fernandina Beach Fireworks Display begins at 9:30 p.m. at the Fernandina Beach Harbor Marina at the foot of Centre Street.