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The Fourth of July holiday weekend is here, and this year area residents will be able to enjoy four straight days of activities.
The annual Balloons Over Rockbridge Hot Air Balloon and Music Festival returns to the Oak Hill property at the Virginia Horse Center Saturday and Sunday. On Monday evening, the Freedom Food Festival returns to downtown Lexington, and on the Fourth itself, children can ride in the bike parade in Lexington in the morning, and everyone can held over to Glen Maury Park in the evening for music and fireworks.
Here’s the rundown.
Look Up
The Balloons Over Rockbridge Hot Air Balloon and Music Festival will feature 21 balloons this year, the most ever in the festival’s history.
Among those balloons will be “Tiny” the fire dog, which will be making its debut at Balloons Over Rockbridge. Designed and owned by the fire marshal for Henrico County, the balloon will be touring the U.S. to promote fire safety. The balloon won’t be taking riders at the festival, but those attending will be able to see it inflated.
The festival kicks off the weekend on Saturday with a scheduled balloon launch at 6 a.m., weather permitting. Throughout the day, starting at 2 p.m., there will be live music, food and beverages, and vendor booths. Tethered balloon rides start at 4 p.m., weather permitting. The day winds up with another balloon launch and at 9 p.m., the Ed McDaniel Memorial Balloon Glow.
Sunday’s schedule is essentially the same, with two balloon launches, one early morning and one in the evening.
Spaces are still available for the piloted balloon rides, which cost $300 per person and require a reservation. To make a reservation, send an email to [email protected].
Tethered flights are on a firstcome, first-served basis and cost $20 for adults and $15 for children under 10.
Balloons Over Rockbridge needs people to help with crewing some of the balloons. If interested, send an email to ballooncrewbor@ gmail.com.
The event raises money for a number of local charities, including Camp Light, a summer day camp for individuals with special needs and at-risk youth; the ARC of Rockbridge, which provides a variety of services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities; New Freedom Farm, a nonprofit community farm near Buchanan that aids veterans and first responders suffering from PTSD, substance abuse and other conditions; Street Ransom, an extension of Straight Street Roanoke Valley, designed to bring awareness to sex trafficking and provide services for survivors; and the Mary Carol Moore Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships for students who are pursuing a career in education and are active community volunteers.
Freedom Food
Freedom Food Festival, which will run from 5 to 10 p.m. Monday on Main Street in Lexington, is both an evening street festival and a tasty fundraising event.
Local chefs and restaurants are paired with nonprofit organizations to create July 4th picnic-style fare. Festival-goers support the nonprofits by visiting the food tent of their choice and displaying their QR code to redeem a prepurchased meal or by paying on-site by cash or credit card. Attendees can also help spread the love to other participating nonprofits by dropping cash into their tip jars.
CHEFS Catering will prepare barbecue chicken leg quarters, Texas caviar, macaroni and cheese, and buttermilk biscuits to benefit Friends of Natural Bridge State Park.
Pure Eats is paired with the Rockbridge County High School baseball team to serve Wildcat beef burger sliders, potato salad, macaroni salad, deviled eggs, and donut holes.
Southern Inn is at the helm with Blue Heron spicy fry noodles and lime Asian slaw topped with savory grilled tofu on behalf of ConnectionsPlus Healthcare + Hospice.
Whipping up island shrimp rolls with coconut pineapple cilantro slaw and jasmine rice will be Lex Vegas Bistro. Rockbridge Area Habitat for Humanity will benefit from those who love tropical flavors.
CHEFS Catering is pulling double duty to prepare a meal to benefit Lexington Police Foundation. Their menu includes pulled Virginia pork with a signature sauce, brisket mac and cheese with bourbon sauce, cheddar cornbread, and a vinegar-based slaw.
Yellow Brick Road Early Learning Center has a second team of Southern Inn folks on their side who are preparing their own version of pulled pork – a slow cooked Kentucky mustard slider served with a chilled 5 bean savory medley and marinated garden veggie salad.
Sweet Treats’ chicken burritos with yellow rice, black beans, guacamole, hot green salsa, tortilla chips, and nacho cheese are sure to draw a hungry crowd for Project Horizon.
Pork is what’s for dinner this year at Freedom Food Festival, and Devils Backbone Outpost will stiffen the competition with their entry of Gochujang Korean barbecue pork ribs, apple mint and cabbage slaw, grilled pound cake, and orange macerated strawberries. Their efforts benefit Rockbridge Area Transportation System Inc. (RATS).
“Freedom Food Festival will once again feature DORA – a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area,” said Patty Williams, director of marketing for Lexington and Rockbridge Area Tourism. “DORA was very popular last year for festival- goers who wanted to enjoy their restaurant-purchased alcohol outside, but within the festival boundaries. This year we have Heliotrope Brewery, Brew Ridge Taps, Southern Inn, Juniper Lounge, and The Patton Room on board, which means patrons will have many options.”
At the intersection of Main and Washington Streets a free concert will feature three bands. Matt Koziol is described by CountrySwag.com as “a trueblue country-rock artist that you are going to want to keep on your radar.” East Nash Grass is comprised of professional musicians who are highly sought individually. Singer-songwriter Cris Jacobs has staying power, playing across genres to collaborate with greats like Phil Lesh and Ivan Neville.
Cook-off meal tickets and table reservations are available at FreedomFoodFestival.com. Tickets are $15 in advance (plus a surcharge) or $20 the day of the event.
In addition to the cook-off meals, there are pay-as-you-go opportunities. Attendees can purchase kids meals from Hull’s Drive-In, desserts from Friends of Rockbridge Swimming, and nonalcoholic beverages from Team Na-Na Sports.
For more information go to FreedomFoodFestival.com.
Parading Downtown
The 38th annual Children’s Bike Parade, taking place on Tuesday, features tikes on trikes, kids on bikes, and babes in strollers, along with a special guest, Uncle Sam, leading the way. Well-behaved, leashed dogs are also welcome.
Children ages 12 and under (along with their accompanying adult) are invited to come down to The Hub next to the Oak Grove Cemetery beginning at 10 a.m. to receive free decorations to adorn their vehicles. Additionally, face painting and a 4th of July tattoo station will be part of the pre-parade festivities.
The parade steps off at 11 a.m., with Uncle Sam leading the way down Main Street to the Washington and Lee University corral parking lot on Jefferson Street. Free hot dogs, drinks and water will be available courtesy of the Mountain City Masonic Lodge No. 67, as well as fresh watermelon provided by The Georges. And thanks to the W&L Public Safety Department, the Hillel House will be open for families to use the restrooms.
Again this year, Jimmy Southers’ red, white and blue tow truck will set the pace of the parade behind Uncle Sam.
Main Street Lexington, which coordinates the parade, strongly asks that children stay behind the tow truck – not ride in front of it or beside it. “Remember, this is a parade – not a race, and we want to be mindful of everyone’s safety,” said Rebecca Logan, MSL executive director.
The parade will take place in fair weather or light drizzle. Heavy rain or electrical storm will cause cancellation. Notification of cancellation will be provided by 8:30 a.m. on the Main Street Facebook page, website, and 3WZ radio.
The parade is sponsored by the Rockbridge Community Health Foundation, Corner-Stone Bank, Kendal at Lexington and downtown merchants.
At The Park
The area’s Fourth of July festivities wraps up with music and a bang – well, lots of bangs – at Glen Maury Park on Tuesday evening.
Area residents can enjoy dancing and music by the local Party Crashers Band at the pavilion behind the Paxton House from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Admission is $5 per person, with those 16 and under free.
Fireworks will light up the sky starting at 9:30 p.m.
