Imbler’s July 4 parade features a flyover

Published 7:00 am Tuesday, June 25, 2024

UNION COUNTY — Spectators at this year’s Fourth of July Imbler-Summerville parade will look skyward when the event starts at noon.

The crowd will not be looking for a daytime fireworks show but rather a flyover, made up of handful of small planes flown by local pilots. This will be one of the first flyovers in the parade’s 48-year history, said Teressa Dewey, a member of the Imbler City Council.

The lineup for the Imbler-Summerville Parade will start at 11 at the Imbler High School football field. The parade will run to the north end of Ruckman Avenue and then south to the southern edge of Imbler.

Summerville Mayor Sheri Rogers will serve as the parade’s grand marshal. The parade will be followed by a barbecue open to the public at the Imbler Christian Church, 440 Ruckman Road.

The parade will be the first of two major July 4 events in Union County; the second will be the annual Thunder at the Peak fireworks show at Buffalo Peak Golf Course in Union.

Events in Imbler will kick off with the second annual July 4th Fun Run put on by the Track & Field Project Committee. The event begins at 9 a.m. and entrants will have the option of participating in a 5-kilometer or 1-mile run. People can register to participate in one of the runs online at imblertrack.org, where they can also order a T-shirt.

Runners can also register the morning of the Fun Run starting at 8:20 at Imbler High School football field on the west side of the school grounds. Both races will begin and end at the school.

A breakfast will be served following the Fun Run starting at about 10 a.m.

This will be the second year for the Fun Run, which is being conducted by the Track & Field Project Committee to raise money to build a track at Imbler High School.

New events at this year’s July 4 celebration in Imbler will include a vendor fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the corner of Main Street and Ruckman Avenue. People interested in being part of the vendor fair can call Julia Novotny at 541-786-1987.

Thunder at the PeakThe Thunder at the Peak fireworks show in Union will start around 10 p.m. at Buffalo Peak Golf Course. People will be able to go to any portion of the golf course to watch the show.

Fireworks will be launched from the upper level of the Buffalo Peak golf course to heighten their visibility, said Donna Beverage, a Union County commissioner and a member of the City of Union Chamber of Commerce.

“People will be able to see the fireworks from miles away,’’ Beverage said.

Fourth of July activities will start in Union with a cornhole contest at the Union Baptist Church, 1531 S. Main St. The contest will start at 5:30 p.m. and people can check in starting at 5 p.m. People should register for the contest at the Union County Chamber of Commerce’s website, visitunioncounty.org.

Cash prizes will be awarded to the top finishers in the contest.

At vendor fair in Union will get underway at 6 p.m. Vending stations will be open on Main Street in Union through 9 p.m. Main Street will be closed to vehicles during the vendor fair.

For information about the vendor fair or other Fourth of July activities in Union, send an email to unionchamber@eoni.com.

Union’s Fourth of July activities are put on by the city of Union Chamber of Commerce with assistance from Union Main Street and the Union County Chamber of Commerce.