Tuesday, July 1, 2008 6:03 PM CDT
Red, White & Blue Days in full swing Thursday
By ROB STROUD, Staff Writer
rstroud@jg-tc.com
CHARLESTON — Bucky Covington and Mel McDaniel fans have been pleasantly surprised while calling to ask about the country stars’ Red, White and Blue Days concerts.
“There first question is, ‘How much are tickets?’ and we tell them it’s free,” said Betty Coffrin of the Fourth of July Committee.
Free entry to concerts has been a long-standing tradition at the festival in Morton Park. The tradition will continue with shows by Bucky Covington at 8 p.m. Thursday, preceded by the Sawyer Brothers Band at 6 p.m., and by Mel McDaniel at 2:30 p.m. Friday.
Covington, a top-eight finalist on “American Idol” in 2006, has released the hit singles “A Different World” and “It’s Good To Be Us” from his debut album.
McDaniel’s long career in country music has included hits like “Baby’s Got Her Blue Jeans On,” “Louisiana Saturday Night” and “Stand Up.”
Free entry to the concerts is made possible by the Fourth of July Committee’s fund raising. They plan to sell hamburgers and hot dogs at 4 p.m. Thursday and on Friday. They also plan to sell festival T-shirts both days and all-you-can-eat ice cream on Friday.
“You can go there and get your hand stamped and eat ice cream all afternoon if you want,” Coffrin said.
Proceeds from a nearby beer tent Thursday through Saturday at the Panther Paw also will help support Red, White & Blue Days.
The Fourth of July parade will kick off at 1 p.m. on the courthouse square and conclude at Morton Park. The centerpiece of the festival, a bell ringing ceremony, then will take place at 2:15 p.m. at the park’s Liberty Bell replica.
Coffrin said the ceremony will pay homage to Charleston’s history to tie in with this year’s festival theme, “Celebrate Charleston: Red, White and True.”
Bell ringers will include representatives Eastern Illinois University, Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site’s Volunteer Pioneers, and the Charleston Post Office. Coffrin noted Charleston’s namesake, Charles Morton, was the community’s first postmaster.
Contact Rob Stroud at rstroud@jg-tc.com or 348-5734.
CHARLESTON — Floats, antique tractors and more than 70 other entries will take part in the Fourth of July Parade on Friday.
The parade is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. on the courthouse square. It will travel south on Sixth Street, west on Polk Avenue, and south on Division Street before concluding at Morton Park.
Entries include the Charleston firefighters, VFW Color Guard and Auxiliary, Marine Corps League, World War II veterans in Chick Debault’s antique truck, Charleston Community Band, Fourth of July Committee float and giant flag, National Guard Humvees, Charleston police, Coles County Sheriff’s Department, Coles County Farmer of the Year, Coles County Fair Queen Marissa Alexander, Little Miss Fair Queen Jayden Shores and Little Miss contestants, Cobble Welding and Citizens National Bank.
Also: Little Mister and Miss Firecracker past winners, Olmstead 4-H Club, Eastern Illinois Pipe Band, Sunburst Pageant state winners, Republican Party, Congressman Tim Johnson’s office, state Sen. Dale Righter, state Rep. Dale Righter, Circuit Clerk Vicki Kirkpatrick, Paul Komada for state’s attorney, Ed Schniers for coroner, Stan Metzger for county board, Neal Tire, Citizens for Todd Reardon, Sweet Tooth Specialties, Charleston Junior Football, Coles County Meth Awareness Coalition and Charleston Jazzercise.
Also: ACS Relay for Life, Lincoln Springs Resort double decker bus, Salisbury Church, Volunteer Pioneers, County Office Products, Snyders Martial Arts Academy, CHS/SSA agriculture department, Gus and Marie King in antique car, Avon/Longaberger, Operation Starfish, Brownie troop, Democrat party, State’s Attorney Steve Ferguson and Coroner Mike Nichols.
Also: American Red Cross, Country Bumpkin Pumpkin Patch, Security Finance, First Neighbor Bank, First Choice Inspection Service, Farm Resources Center/Suicide Prevention Coalition, First Financial Bank, ICCS Teen Reach, Karate USA, Off the Trail Four-Wheel-Drive Club, Cub Scout Pack 41, Hilltop Convalescent Center, Explosion for Christ theater, Coles County Corvette Club, Randy Jackson horses, antique tractors, Hutton and Lincoln fire protection districts’ firefighters, and Lincoln firefighter Ladies Auxiliary.
CHARLESTON — Food and games are in store for visitors to Red, White & Blue Days on Friday in Morton Park.
Several community groups plan to sell food and drinks to raise funds for their programs.
The menu includes Charleston Rotary Club, barbecue; VFW Men’s Auxiliary, brats; Charleston Food Pantry, snow cones; Knights of Columbus, lemon shake-ups; CHS band, water and soda; Hilltop Convalescent Center, popcorn; Fourth of July Committee, hamburgers, brats, and ice cream.
Other groups will offer activities for the young and young at heart starting at 9 a.m. They include the Fourth of July Committee, inflatable games; city Parks and Recreation Department, children’s games; and Charleston firefighters, a fire safety area and foam pit.
In addition, the Coles County Arts Council will hold its annual “Great Chalk-In” chalk art contest at 9:30 a.m.
Schedule for Red,
White and Blue Days
at Morton Park
Thursday
n 4 p.m., Fourth of July committee cookout begins
n 6 p.m., Sawyer Brothers Band performs
n 7:30 p.m., Coles County Farmer of the Year recognition, Little Mister and Miss Firecracker crowning
n 8 p.m., Bucky Covington performs
Friday
n 7:30 a.m., “Four on the Fourth” run and walk, registration at 6:30 a.m.
n 9 a.m., inflatable games and fire safety area with foam pit open
n 9:30 a.m., “Great Chalk-In” art contest
n 1 p.m., Fourth of July parade from courthouse square to Morton Park
n 2:15 p.m., bell ringing ceremony at Liberty Bell replica
n 2:30 p.m., Mel McDaniel performs
n Dusk, fireworks at the Coles County Memorial Airport, shuttle rides from EIU’s O’Brien Field and Mattoon’s Cross County Mall
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