For Greene County News
FAIRBORN – Fairborn’s traditional family Block Party will take place on Main Street from 4-10 p.m. Friday, July 3, where a variety of vendors will be selling food and specialty items. The Fairborn American Legion will conduct the opening ceremony at 4 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial located at the intersection of Main Street and Central Avenue.
Three bands will offer entertainment, led by the Fairborn Community Civic Band from 4:15-5 p.m. and the Wild Mustangs Band from 6:30-8 p.m. Alexis Gomez, an American Idol finalist, and the Mad River Band will serve as the event’s headliner from 8:30-10 p.m. The Five Points Cloggers will be showing their quick step talents from 5:15-6 p.m., while the Little Miss and Mr. Fairborn contest for children six to nine years old will take place at the Actors Theater on Friday at 6:15 p.m. Registration will take place from 5:15-6 p.m. in the theater’s lobby with a $5 entry fee.
To celebrate Fairborn’s independence and history, the Festival committee will host a “Heritage Days” event with tours of the historic Mercer-Smith log house and gardens located at the corner of First and Middle Streets. Free hay rides to the Mercer House from the block party will be offered.
Saturday’s Fourth of July Parade, sponsored by the Fairborn Rotary Club, will get underway at 10 a.m. after assembling in the Fairborn Plaza on Broad Street and follow its traditional route up Central Avenue past the reviewing stand and then down Main Street to Second Street, where the event will conclude. Weather permitting, a flyover by the Aero Club members will signal the beginning of the parade with Paul Newman, former Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce, singing the National Anthem in front of the reviewing stand accompanied by the Civic Band.
The festivities move to Community Park on Saturday with food and entertainment starting at 5 p.m. followed by a spectacular fireworks display at 10 p.m.
From 5-7 p.m., Untamed will take the Community Park stage, and the fan-popular Southbound Band will perform from 7:45- 9:45 p.m. The band performs classic hits by such groups as the Allman Brothers, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Eagles, ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd and more.