GREENSBORO, N.C. — Thousands of people are expected to flock to Downtown Greensboro for this year’s Fun Fourth Festival.
The festival is back in full swing after being canceled in 2020 and modified for COVID-19 safety reasons in 2021.
Shayla Sharpe of Sharpe Pursuits Event Company is an event producer for Fun Fourth. She said organizers are ready for Monday.
“We’re feeling great, we’re super excited about what we have lined up this year, we have a lot of people involved and ready,” Sharpe said. “From our bands to our audio crews, our interactive attendance, everybody is just really excited about Monday.”
This year the festival starts off with the Freedom Run at 7:30 a.m. on July 4. The Freedom Fest starts at noon and goes until 6:00 p.m.
Sharpe said there is still time to sign up for several events.
“We have wagon decorating, we have some spots left for that where you can bring out a scooter, a wagon, a garden cart anything that rolls,” Sharpe said. “Decorate it as patriotic as you can make it and we’re going to judge it and give out prizes.”
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Vendors are back this year. There will be good food, music, and street performers. Besides the annual staples, Sharpe said there are new features to look forward to this year.
“This year we have an outdoor skating rink, you can come and actually skate during the Fun Fourth Festival,” Sharpe said. “We have a best-dressed contest so you can sign up and be as patriotic as you can be and walk throughout the festival footprint to be judged on how you look and win a prize potentially at the end of the day. We also have a theatrical stage and a kids reading corner sponsored by Guilford County Schools so there’s a lot of new things to do this year”
They’re also bringing back the Red, White sand Say I Do Contest. Four Lucky couples were chosen to get married downtown during the festival. An officiant, flowers, and mini reception will be included.
“It’s really important because you know we’re still kind of in the pandemic, but we’re slowly coming out of it,” Sharpe said.
“We want something fun for people to do. Everyone has been cooped up, we’re excited to get out in the open air where it is fresh and we can breathe and we can social distance if we want to, but still, just have fun with the community and celebrate being together again.
The celebrations will wrap up with fireworks at the Greensboro Grasshopper's game at First National Bank Stadium.
The festival is still in need of volunteers. If you're interested in helping, visit their website.