Celebrate Bristol Announces 2011 Schedule

P.F. Flyers

June 22, 2011
Non-profit organization Celebrate Bristol is proud to announce the upcoming schedule for Bristol’s annual Star-Spangled Weekend. Each year the organization partners with local organizations for a slate of family friendly events to celebrate America’s Independence. This year’s event is scheduled for June 30 – July 2 and will include a traditional schedule and also introducing several new fun activities. Star-Spangled weekend occurs each July 4 weekend and provides free parade entry, food and music to all those in attendance due to the strong support of local sponsors. The featured musician’s for 2011 will be P.F. Flyers from Kingsport Tennessee, preceded by the ever-popular Bristol Virginia Senior Showchoir. While in Cumberland Square Park you can enjoy hot dogs, chips and water, great music, book-signings by local authors and children’s inflatables.

Back by popular demand will be the sanctioned AACA Antique Car Show at the Tri Summit Bank and a second year for Celebrate Bristol’s “Pet-riotic” Dog Contest at Cumberland Square Park at 2:00 pm. The contest is open to the public. There will be open registration at 1:00pm and proceeds will benefit the Bristol Tennessee-Virginia Police K-9 Units. Contact Justin Wiseman by e-mail bristolpetcontest@gmail.com for details. A new event will be the Celebrate Bristol Motorcycle Poker & Bug Run to be held following the Independence Parade at 11:30am at the new Rhythm & Roots office parking lot across State Street from the AACA Car Show.

Another new addition to Star-Spangled Weekend is sponsored by the Bristol Host Lions Club. Buy your ducky from a club member or at Minuteman Press and enter Bristol’s Rubber Duck Race scheduled after the parade at Cumberland Square Park. There will be 1,000 ducks available for this contest. The first prize is a new Schwinn Bicycle; second prize is a $100 Gas Card among other prizes. You don’t have to be present at the duck race to enter or win these great prizes. The Bristol Lion’s will also be giving Eye Screenings to those in attendance.

Star-Spangled Weekend officially begins on Thursday June 30 with Music & Movies in the Park, beginning at 6:30pm with music by Kids Our Age and a 9:00pm movie, Never Say Never with Justin Beiber. On Friday July 1 there is a evening events, beginning with the Celebrate Bristol Car Cruise-in in downtown Bristol, then, the popular street festival Border Bash put on by Believe in Bristol. It’s a great prelude to the Star-Spangled events on Saturday July 2, featuring the annual Independence Parade at 10am and food, children’s activities and music by P.F. Flyers at Cumberland Square Park at 11:30am. Entry to the parade is open to any organization. Line-up beings at 8:30am on Morrison Blvd in front of the Bristol Herald Courier business office.

The evening concludes with Celebrate Bristol Night at Gene Malcolm Stadium for the Bristol White Sox verses Burlington Royals, followed by Fireworks by Pepsi. Celebrate Bristol is expecting packed crowds to this year’s ballgame, which follows the largest attendance ever at the ballpark the past two years, with over 3,000 fans attending. Come early for the pie-eating contest at 6:30pm and the ballgame beginning at 7:00pm.

According to Tim Buchanan, chairman of Celebrate Bristol, “it’s the partnerships in Bristol that make successful celebrations happen”. He continued, “This weekend has something for every member of the family”. There’s nothing more American than baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, parades, antique cars, fireworks, and Bristol has it all for this year’s Star-Spangled Weekend.

It is because of the support of our sponsors that there is a Star-Spangled Weekend. Our Gold Sponsors include Electro-Mechanical Corporation, Shearer’s, Bristol Tennessee Essential Services, Bristol Virginia Utilities and the Cities of Bristol Tennessee and Virginia. Our media sponsors include Bristol Herald Courier & Citadel Broadcasting.

Visit our website, www.celebratebristol.com or our Facebook page, Celebrate Bristol VA-TN, for further details on Star-Spangled Weekend and other community events. Also catch us on Twitter, Cel_Bristolvatn.

Downtown Bristol Blog

Set The Controls: Recreating the Music of Pink Floyd

June 24, 2011
Set The Controls: Recreating the Music of Pink Floyd at The Paramount Center in Bristol June 24 at 8:00pm. Tickets are only $20! "With eyes closed, one would swear they were listening to the real Pink Floyd, complete with lushly layered vocals and perfect fills of guitars, keyboards, saxophones and drums. Set the Controls uses both vintage and modern equipment to ensure as close a representation as possible of the sounds from Floyd's classic albums."
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Theatre Bristol rocks the Summer with a series of Concerts in the ARTspace!

Bonepony

June 24, 2011
Join Theatre Bristol this summer for a series of music events sure to keep your toes tapping! In continued efforts to reach new audiences and provide unique entertainment, Theatre Bristol is bringing music downtown in a unique setting, the ARTspace, located in the heart of historic downtown Bristol. It’s not your typical noisy, smoke-filled bar. “A private listening room” “a show like atmosphere,” “Great Space!” are all comments from past bands that have graced Theatre Bristol’s stage. Come down and hear some amazing bands! Tickets are available on-line at Theatre Bristol’s website www.theatrebristol.org. “It’s an eclectic mix of music genres with something for everyone who loves music and a great opportunity to hear new and unique acts not typically found in our area” according to Spence Flagg, Theatre Bristol’s board president. Concerts are at 8:00 p.m., with doors opening at 7:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Keep your eyes peeled to Theatre Bristol’s website and Facebook page for July and August concerts! 423.968.4977 www.theatrebristol.org
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ROCKY PATEL Cigars at Sidetrack!

June 24, 2011
June 24, 2011, Sidetrack Tobacco will be holding a cigar smoker, featuring ROCKY PATEL cigars. Smoker will start at 6 p.m. Tickets are available at Sidetrack and they are limited, so get yours early. The cost is $20.00 per person. Please call or drop us an email if you are planning to attend.
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Local Author and Award-Winning Bristol Herald Courier Writer, David McGee, to Have a Book-Signing and Presentation at the Bristol Public Library

David McGee

June 23, 2011
Local author and award-winning writer for the Bristol Herald Courier, David McGee, will be hosting a book-signing and presentation to the public for his newest book Tales of Bristol Motor Speedway on Thursday, June 23rd at 6pm.
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The David Caldwell Tunes at Noon 2011 at The Paramount!

June 22, 2011
For the Friday, June 24th Show, Clarinetist Eugene Jones and Friends, Sun-joo Oh, soprano and Robert Jeter, piano will present a program of classical and popular works for clarinet and voice. The program will include “Erstes Offertorium” and Der Hirt auf dem Felsen” by Franz Schubert, “Three Vocalise” by Ralh Vaughn-Williams plus works by Gordon Jacob and George Gershwin.
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Celebrate Bristol announces MISS PHOTOGENIC Contest!

June 22, 2011
Submit your own 8x10 head shot only photo on Sunday, June 26, 2011 (one day only) between 2-5 p.m.to the Bristol Public Library , 701 Goode Street, Bristol, Virginia in the Frances E. Kegley Conference Room. Winners will be notified by Wednesday, June 29, 2011. If you have any questions email: tberry@bvunet.net More info below: Rules: 1) Photo must not be digitally enhanced or computer generated. 2) MUST FILL OUT CONSENT FORM AND ENTRY FORM 3) Must be a current photo taken within the last six (6) months. 4) All results by judges are final.
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Theatre Rock: AMERICA! Theatre Bristol's Summer Camp

June 22, 2011
Theatre Rock: AMERICA! Theatre Bristol’s Summer Theatre Camp is open to students who have completed Kindergarten thru 12th grade. The cost is $125 per student. The Cathy DeCaterina School of the Arts will run from July 11-15, 2011. Classes will be from 8:45 am to 3:00 pm. Students will learn acting skills as they take part in songs and skits all with a patriotic theme. The week culminates in a performance at The Paramount Center for the Arts as part of "Tunes at Noon" their summer concert series. Registration is open now and can be done by calling Theatre Bristol's office 423.968.4977.

Call for Parade Entries for Star-Spangled Weekend

June 22, 2011
The organization "Celebrate Bristol" is announcing a Call for Parade Entries for Star-Spangled Weekend to be held on Saturday July 2, 2011. Plans are being finalized for Bristol's annual Independence weekend celebration in downtown Bristol, which will include a concert and food at Cumberland Square Park, a motorcycle Poker Run, the AACA Antique Car Show and other new events. The Bristol Host Lion’s Club will host the first annual Rubber Duck Race, which will be held following the parade in Beaver Creek. The annual parade will begin on Morrison Blvd at 10:00am and follow the traditional route down State Street to end at Lee Street at the park. Line-up will begin at 8:00am on Morrison Blvd.
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Who Art You Camp is FULL!!!

June 22, 2011
Thanks Bristol, we had an over whelming response to the Who Art You children's camp! We are happy to say that both sessions are full!
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Upcoming Events

"Journey of Images" exhibit on display at the Bristol Public Library's Virgie R. Fleenor Art Gallery during the month of June

June 01 - 30, 2011