BY DEBBIE PAGE
debbiepage.iredellfreenews@gmail.com
The 16th Annual Troutman Independence Day Parade and fireworks show, originally planned for June 27, has been rescheduled for Saturday, August 15, due to COVID-19 restrictions that prohibit gatherings of more than 25 people at an outdoor event.
According to staff member and parade coordinator Angela Hoover, a minimum of 50 entries must be received by August 1 or the event, including the evening fireworks, will be canceled.
The parade entry application can be found on the town’s website (https://www.troutmannc.gov in the Forms and Documents section) or can be picked up in person at Troutman Town Hall (400 North Eastway Drive).
“We just couldn’t bring ourselves to cancel these annual festivities that mean so much to our Town, so we postponed to a later date that was safer to gather — August 15th,” organizers said on the town Facebook page.
“Join us as we celebrate pride in our freedom, community, and country with our 16th annual Troutman Independence Parade and Fireworks — just in time to kick off back to school!”
Parade organizers, headed up by parade chairperson Chuck Gallyon, hope that the community will join the town in belatedly celebrating America’s birthday and in honoring those that have served in the military, both past and present.
The parade will take place at 11 a.m. on Highway 21/Main Street. The fireworks will begin at full dark (about 9:30 p.m.) in the Iredell County Fairgrounds area.
Grand marshals will be announced soon.
The first planning meeting for the parade is Thursday, June 11, at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Town Hall.
Town officials remind the public that due to unprecedented and ever-changing nature of COVID-19 and the manner in which it affects large gatherings and community events, the parade can be cancelled at any time.
Gallyon first presented a request to hold the parade on August 15 — if the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions would allow — at the Town Council’s budget meeting earlier this month.
Gallyon and Parks director Emily Watson selected this date because it was the Saturday before school started on Monday and would be a positive celebration to kick off the school year.
Watson also noted that since all park and town events are canceled through August 1, other events have packed every weekend from August 29 through November 15, leaving August 15 as one of the few viable dates for the parade
Council member Sally Williams noted that if restriction phases go as planned, they should be over by July 10. She praised the idea of a celebration in August as a return to normalcy as students head back to the classroom.
Gallyon also predicted the parade would attract more bands with school restarting.
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For more information, contact Hoover at ahoover@troutmannc.gov or call Town Hall at 704-528-7600.