Florence to celebrate Fourth with spirit

Adults and children will have plenty to keep them busy Saturday as they celebrate freedom and independence at the “Spirit of Florence” family festival.

The sixth annual “Spirit of Florence” will begin with a 5K walk/run at 8 a.m. But the majority of the “Spirit of Florence” activities will kick off at 10 a.m. at Timrod Park in Florence. There will be facepainting, carnival games, balloon sculpting, live music and many other activities throughout the day.

TRAFFIC INFO
From 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday:

• Traffic on Waters Avenue will run one way, heading west.
  
• Traffic on Timrod Park Drive will run one way, heading east between Spruce and McQueen streets.
  
• Timrod Park Drive will be closed between Coit and McQueen streets.
  
• Traffic on Spruce Street will run one way, heading northeast to McQueen Street.
  
• Traffic on McQueen street will run one way, heading north from Timrod Park Drive to Pine Street (except for residents of that area).
  

• both sides of Waters Avenue.
  
• the east side of Spruce Street from Park Avenue to Timrod Park Drive.
  
• the south side of Timrod Park Drive along Timrod Park from Spruce Street to the tennis courts, then on both sides.
  
• both sides of McQueen Street.
  
• Handicap parking will be available in tennis court parking area along Timrod Park Drive and on the south side of Timrod Park Drive from the end of the tennis courts to the steps of the Jeffers Center.
  

Raggs, from the hit S.C. ETV musical and educational preschool series “Raggs,” will meet and greet fans and pose for pictures with youngsters throughout the day. ETV’s mascot, Smart Cat, also will meet and greet young fans in the park. Both characters will have coloring books, frisbees and activity sheets to share with lucky youngsters, as well.

Food vendors will be on-site in the park, but attendees are also welcome to bring a picnic lunch.

The idea of a July Fourth community celebration began in the 1970s with “Florence Loves America” day at Timrod Park, City of Florence Leisure Services Supervisor Rocky Rietkovich said. The event drew such large crowds that it was moved to the old fairgrounds. Years later, that event evolved into the Family Fling, which was held at Memorial Stadium.

“Both of these programs reached thousands of people in our community and provided activities for everyone,” Rietkovich said in a press release. “We are continuing that tradition with a fun, inexpensive day that will allow everyone to have an enjoyable here at home. We also have people join us from neighboring communities or who may be staying in Florence on their way through to another destination.”

Activities at the park will run until 4 p.m. Afterward, families are invited to continue the celebration at Legion Field for a concert by local band MidLife Crisis followed by a battle on the diamond between the Florence Redwolves and the Fayetteville SwampDogs. The celebration’s finale will be a fireworks extravaganza at Memorial Stadium.

“We’re always excited to have these kind of events,” said Florence Mayor Stephen J. Wukela, who will be in attendance with his family. “It’s a chance to come together as a community to celebrate our freedom and to have a day of good family time. We’re looking forward to it, and I think it’s just going to be a whole lot of fun.”

The festival is sponsored by the City of Florence Parks & Leisure Services, the Florence County Drs. Bruce and Lee Library, the Florence Museum, the Florence Police Department and the Florence RedWolves.

Proceeds from the festival benefit several local nonprofit organizations that include Camp Fever, Florence Track Club, Florence International Children’s Games and Florence Tennis Association community.

Those who want to kick off the holiday festivities a little early will have an opportunity to do so Friday night at Florence After Five.

Shaggers are encouraged to put on their dancing shoes, as The Entertainers belt out beach classics and oldies from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the plaza across from Central United Methodist Church (old McLeod Hospital site). Admission is free.

Sponsored by the Florence Downtown Development Corporation and the City of Florence, Florence After Five is a monthly musical series intended to encourage interest in downtown Florence again. The monthly downtown concert series features live music the first Friday of each month and will run through September. The event will feature food by New York Butcher’s Shop, Chick-Fil-A and Dippin’ Dots and beverages by Pepsi and Budweiser. No outside food or drink will be allowed into the event, but attendees are encouraged to bring chairs.