Havelock ready to celebrate the Fourth

Patriotic music, kids with pie on their face and thunderous fireworks are planned for the 2008 Freedom Festival as Havelock celebrates the Fourth of July.

Friday evening's events start at 5 p.m. with opening remarks by Havelock commissioner Will Lewis, and the fireworks display is set for 8:45 p.m. or when the skies become dark enough.

"This is going to be our annual event in the City of Havelock," said A.D. Brady, special events coordinator for the Havelock Recreation Department. "We highly encourage all parents to bring out their children to enjoy the events and enjoy the fireworks."

The Havelock High School junior ROTC will present the colors for the playing of the national anthem, and the high school's jazz ensemble is also scheduled to perform at 5:30 p.m.

Some traditional games are scheduled, with the sack race set for 5:15 p.m., an egg race for 6:30 p.m. and the pie-eating contest at 8 p.m.

"There will be a kids division in all of our events, and I want to encourage parents to let their children participate," Brady said.

The Havelock Community Band is scheduled to perform some patriotic pieces at 6:45 p.m.

There will also be a raffle for a new American flag.

Beyond the games and entertainment, various civic, nonprofit groups and businesses will have booths set up with smaller games, information and food for purchase.

"We're going to have everything from pizza to ice cones, egg rolls to fish plates," Brady said.

The only hitch in this year's festival has been the inability to find a working dunking booth.

"We're still not sure if we are going to be able to have one," Brady said. "Every one we've found so far has been broken. We've searched far and wide, from Jacksonville to Kinston, and everywhere in between."

Families can bring blankets, lawn chairs and a picnic basket to enjoy the event and the fireworks. Class A Services of Stella has planned a 30-minute fireworks display to punctuate the evening's activities.

Early forecasts from the National Weather Service call for a mostly sunny day and evening on the Fourth, with high temperatures of about 90, falling into the lower 80s by evening.