Spirit of America Festival Announces Theme and Activities for 46th Annual Star Spangled Celebration

For the past 45 years, families from across the southeastern United States have gathered at Point Mallard Park for the fourth of July to celebrate our nation’s freedom and the sacrifices military personnel and their families make every day. The annual Spirit of America Festival returns in 2012 bringing with it all-American family fun ranging from live entertainment and an assortment of children’s activities to grand pageantry, awards, and a spectacular fireworks display presented by OneMain Financial. This year’s theme “America: We Are One” celebrates the unlimited possibilities of what can be accomplished when we work together to build a brighter future for this land.

The free Independence Day celebration kicks off at 4 p.m. with the Children’s Bike Parade where patriotic decorated bikes, tricycles, wagons, strollers, and wheelchairs make their way from the TC Almon Center to the Children’s Tent, followed by a golf cart parade. There is no fee to participate in the Bike Parade; however, registration is required beginning at 3 p.m. Garrius Owens will get the crowd fired up with his tribute dance to Michael Jackson as children participate in a variety of free activities including face painting, balloon crafting, and inflatables.

Other activities include a hula hoop contest, the Ping Pong Ball Drop, a Money in the Hay contest, a water balloon toss, karate demonstrations by Webster’s Karate. The Boy Scouts of America Arrowhead District will again sponsor a Scouting Celebration Area filled with activities, demonstrations and hands-on fun including a pinewood derby, rocket launch, a raingutter regatta, knot tying, 2-liter bottle rockets, and more.

Music provided by the Arsenal Brass and the Brass Machine Brass Band fills the air beginning at 5 p.m. until the start of the Spirit of America Award Show, a presentation of awards recognizing outstanding service and sacrifice for country and fellow man, and the Miss Point Mallard Pageant, a preliminary for the Miss America Pageant. Following the crowning of the new Miss Point Mallard, the celebration culminates at 10 p.m. with the 2012 Spirit of America Fireworks Display presented by OneMain Financial.   

Two additional activities leading up to the festival are the Little Miss Point Mallard Pageant at the TC Almon Recreation Center on July 2^nd and the Miss Point Mallard Outstanding Teen Pageant on July 3^rd at 7 p.m.   

All activities take place in Point Mallard Park located at 2901 Point Mallard Drive in Decatur. Admission to the festival is free; however, some children’s activities require the purchase of tickets for a nominal fee.

For more information, including an up-to-date schedule of events and entertainment, driving directions, and a spectacular photo gallery, visit www.spiritofamericafestival.com.