The courtesy boat dock at McGregor Park will remain closed to the public during the event.

The Independence Day Celebration begins at 6p.m. Friday, July 3.  Fireworks begin at 9:30p.m.

The show will include performances by the Screaming Eagles Parachute Demonstration Team, a concert by the 198th Army Band from Rochester, N.Y., fifty-gun salute to the states, posting of the colors, and a fireworks display.

The Independence Week Carnival will run at various hours from June 30 through July 5; see http://www.fortcampbellmwr.com/ for more info.

With three simultaneous fiery launches, the City of Clarksville’s Independence Day celebration took off with a profound determination to strut its stuff. And strut, it did! A fierce display of dazzling lights and pops, shimmering whistles and eye-popping star bursts filled the night sky at McGregor Park. Lasting approximately 45 minutes, the city gave its residents a truly impressive sight and sound extravaganza.

During the lead up to the fireworks show, a crowd of thousands gathered along the length of McGreggor Park with lawn chairs and blankets, strollers and assorted cooling diversions. Local area agencies set up convenience stands along with commercial vendors to offer iced water, bottled water, funnel cakes, kettle corn, hot dogs, burgers, snow cones, and a myriad of service information. Music performances by the Chris Robinson Band and Hypertension carried the crowd through the evening until the launch of the main event.

A comprehensive photo gallery is below the fold

Here then are some images from Clarksville’s “Blowout On The River!” Thanks must given to the Parks and Recreation Dept. people, the Clarksville Police Department and CTS. Also of note, the Eternal Flame was burning brightly tonight! And now, WOW-W-W!!!!

[Show as slideshow]

1234...8910►

The display on the river includes is choreographed to a patriotic soundtrack and will be broadcast on Q108, The Beaver 100.3 FM, Z 97.5 and Eagle 94.3 radio stations during the show.

Performing for this event are the 100th Division Rock Band (US Army Reserves) from Ft. Knox, KY; Hypertension, and Chris Robertson & The Country Music Band.

For more information or for ADA assistance with this event, please call (931) 645-7444.

Clarksville residents can look forward to free admission for this 20th anniversary of Riverfest, a music festival, art show and family-oriented celebration of the city and its waterfront. The event will rev up September 7 and 8, with the festival running from 5-11 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. – 11 p.m. Pictured at right,the winning poster for the 2007 Riverfest, a design by Elizabeth Hadden, celebrates the music and the community of Riverfest.

Two stages offer tough choices in music. The Miller Lite stage will be the setting for performances beginning with Nashville songbird Charlotte Medley, the Confederate Rail Road, Kentucky Head Hunters and more, with a playlist of rhythm and blues, rock, reggae, country, and more. This stage also hosts children’’s programming on Saturday morning, including Mountain Marionettes and for the family, Dance Academy Performances. Fireworks over the Cumberland will cap the event at 9:15 on both nights.

Promoters are hoping that the weather will cool down from the unrelenting August highs of 90s and 100s, and settle into more seasonable temps, which with the addition of cooling river breezes, will make Riverfest festivities a perfect end-of-summer event.

The music line-up is as follows:

Main Stage

Friday, September 7

5:15 p.m. – Charlotte Medley
6:00 p.m. – Chris Monhollen (at left)
7:00 p.m. – Raw Country
8:00 p.m. – Confederate Rail Road
9:30 p.m. – Kentucky Head Hunters

Saturday, Sept. 8

9:30 a.m. Spirit Activities Registration
10:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Marching Band
12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m. Cheer Challenge
2:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. Dance Off
4:15 p.m. Mountain Marionettes
5:00 p.m. Mystery
6:00 p.m. Eclipse
7:00 p.m. Hypertension
8:00 p.m. Marvelettes
9:15 p.m. Fireworks Display
9:30 p.m. The Cornell Gunter Coasters (at left)

Gateway Stage

Friday, Sept. 7

5:30 p.m. – Legacy (at left)
6:30 p.m. – Shadow
7:30 p.m. – The New Rock & Roll Trio
8:30 p.m. – Miss Candice
9:30 p.m. – Hip Kitty

Saturday, Sept. 8

9:30 a.m. Spirit Activities Registration
10:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Marching Band
12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m. Cheer Challenge
2:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. Dance Off
4:15 p.m. Mountain Marionettes
5:00 p.m. Mystery
6:00 p.m. Eclipse
7:00 p.m. Hypertension
8:00 p.m. Marvelettes (above, left)
9:15 p.m. Fireworks Display
9:30 p.m. The Cornell Gunter Coasters

Artists Wanted

There’s still time to enter artwork in the Rivershow art show. Submissions must be brought to the Clarksville Park and Recreation department on August 30-31 from 2-4 p.m. There are no entry fees.

Michael Aurbach, professor of sculpture and drawing at Vanderbilt University will be the juror for this year’s art show. Categories are Photography, Painting and Watercolor, 3-D and Fiber Arts (including Sculpture), and Drawing. There are no entry fees.

Submissions will jurored on September 4, and a reception and presentation of awards will take place at the Downtown Artist Co-op on September 6 at 5:30 p.m. Exhibit hours will be from noon to 8 p.m. on Sept. 7-8.

High Schools on Parade

High school teams can square in a dance-off while younger students compete in karaoke. high school bands will have a chance to strut the right stuff to much in competitions with schools from surrounding counties. New to the mix this year is a cheer-leading competition offering a mix of athletics and dance movements.

Riverfest Regatta

Riverfest also has its own brand of regatta: Cardboard Boat Races. Build your own cardboard boat and race it from the McGregor park Boat ramp on Saturday, Sept. 7,. Sign-in are at 9 a.m., with races running from, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. A cardboard boat regatta is an event where participants build their own boats using materials from a specified list and race them during timed heats with the fastest time being declared the winner in the respective classes. The course is 100 yards long. The Riverfest Regatta boats will be raced on the Cumberland River.

The “Kid” Zone

A special areas for youngsters and teens will feature 18 activities and games. Children age 12 and under can ride inflatables including the Octopus Bouncers and Crazy caterpillar all day with a $5 armband, while teens can scale rock walls and an iron-man obstacle course for $2-$5 per play.

Water games are all part of the fun; basketball gets dampened, and “Water Wars” is billed as the “ultimate water balloon” game.

Parking

Riverfront patrons can find plenty of free parking at Public Square, the Clarksville Fairgrounds and the Smith-Trahern mansion. Riverfest parking will NOT be permitted at the Two Rivers Business Center or any Riverside businesses or restaurants during business hours. Handicapped parking will be available. Handicap parking will be available at designated parking lots directly across from McGregor Park.

For more information on all of these Riverfest events and activities, check out the website at http://www.clarksvilleriverfest.com/

Every year, residents in Stewart County gather in Cumberland City, Tennessee to celebrate Independence Day on the last Saturday of June. We’re proud to present exclusive photos from this year’s event, which is a glimpse of Southern life in small-town Tennessee.

All photos by David W. Shelton

Prints are available by contacting the author.