- Newberry will hold its inaugural Fourth of July Parade on July 4 at 9 a.m., featuring about 40 floats representing 250 years of American history and Cory Durden as grand marshal.
- A 20-minute fireworks show on July 3 at 9:30 p.m. will launch festivities at CountryWay TownSquare, funded by local businesses and sponsors amid recent lifted burn bans.
In case you missed seeing Newberry Mayor Tim Marden wearing a tricorn cap during Lexington and Concord battle reenactments this spring, you might get another chance during the city’s inaugural Fourth of July Parade and fireworks show on deck for America’s 250th birthday.
A 20-minute fireworks show starting at 9:30 p.m. on July 3 will kick off holiday festivities from the northern field next to CountryWay TownSquare (1739 SW 248th Dr.). But vendors, food trucks and live music from the Jamie Davis Band will start building up the hype at 6 p.m.
On Independence Day, parade grand marshal, Newberry native and New England Patriots defensive end Cory Durden, will commence the procession at 9 a.m. in downtown Newberry.
Around 40 floats representing various eras, events and inventions from the past 250 years in America will travel north on SW 258th Street, right on Newberry Road and along the railroad tracks south on Seaboard Drive.
And if you’d like to sign up for a float, there’s still time before Sunday’s deadline. Just click here.
Whether it’s the fireworks display on Friday or Miami Vice, Westward Expansion and Mt. Rushmore themed floats on Saturday, Marden said there will be something for everybody to enjoy and celebrate this semiquincenntenial, making the past year of preparation well worth the effort.
“Obviously, the 250 only comes around once in a great while,” he said. “So it’s just an opportunity to show our appreciation for what we have and just take a minute to be grateful.”
Drafting the celebration
Which piece has been the most challenging to pull off, the fireworks or the parade?
Although both have called for a community-wide effort, Marden said the parade has required the most coordination.
For the fireworks, Marden said all he had to do was call on his commercial fireworks friend, Jerry Ford, and Ford’s sons to help light up the night.
Christina Norfleet, daughter of the CountryWay TownSquare owners, said she’d take care of event logistics since the block is accustomed to putting on others, and Jamie Davis Band was an easy yes for music.
Marden said a fireworks test in the past few weeks proved good visibility from the CountryWay field, where viewers are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs.
But there was a period within the past few months, the city thought it would have to reschedule the fireworks to New Year’s because of the drought. Luckily, recent storms have brought enough heavy rain showers to lift the burn ban that spanned 117 days.
Funding has also been a lot to pull together, but Marden said local businesses and families like the Norfleets and PawnPro LLC—who will also have a float in the parade—donated to make it happen. Visit Gainesville Alachua County, is also sponsoring the parade.
Since the University of Florida puts on a fireworks show on the eastern side of the county, Marden said he’s excited to provide one for the west while also bringing back a tradition formerly celebrated in the city.
Marden recalled various locals who’d put on small fireworks shows for the community, including former Newberry Backyard Barbecue (now Woodyard Grill) owner Rocky Voglio and a resident named Anthony.
He said when he lived in Newberry Oaks, the neighborhood hosted a block party with bounce houses and water slides, roasted a pig and enjoyed Anthony’s fireworks when it got dark.
Now there’s a chance to share the crackling lights with the whole community, even if only for this year.
“I don’t know if we’ll be able to continue doing it every year because of the costs involved, but you know, if you’re going to splurge, this is a good time to do it,” Marden said.
The parade will truly be the first for Newberry.
Even though Marden envisioned 100 floats creating one congruous timeline of American history, he said the nearly 40 currently signed up will be a good start.
He said bleachers will be set up downtown for people to view from, and he’ll be on stage reading scripts about each float over a loudspeaker with special guests.
Paraders
City Manager Jordan Marlowe will make an appearance as George Washington. Will Marden be spotted in a tricorn cap?
“Maybe. You’ve got to humble yourself in this job and do some very self-deprecating humor, whatever it takes to put people in the mood,” he said. “The kids think it’s funny, which is fun. You’ve got to play your part.”
PawnPro LLC owner and Newberry Main Street Organization President Chris Mack is preparing to drive a hippie-era float in the parade with his family. He also coordinated with Gainesville Street Rods to get some classic cars in the lineup, including a 1964 Chevrolet Chevelle.
Wanting to celebrate Newberry’s history as much as America’s—after all, his mom was the 1969 Watermelon Queen—Mack said he started thinking about putting a float together earlier this year.
He said he was alive during the country’s bicentennial in 1976 and said he hoped his children and grandchildren remembered this semiquincentennial, although every Fourth of July is important.
“It’s the creation of this country, so it’s very important no matter what year it is,” Mack said. “But, of course, the hundreds and 200s and the 250s, those are the big ones. It’s cool that I have the resources I have, that I’m in touch with the city as much as I am, that I can be a part of it. I think that’s awesome.”
The Milton Lewis Young Marines aim to use their float, replicating the raising of the American flag at Iwo Jima during WWII, to honor Bob Gasche.
Young Marines leader James Islam said Gasche was a Purple Heart veteran who witnessed the flag raising and founded the local chapter of Young Marines, all warranting the July Fourth tribute.
“Bob was an amazing man,” Islam said. “He was very active in our unit into his 90s. He was not big in stature, but he had a tremendous impact on this whole community.”
Along the parade route, the Young Marines will also hand out dog tags with the Joshua 1:9 Bible verse stamped on them.
Islam and his wife, Donna, started producing the tags through their nonprofit Joshua 1:9 after becoming Gold Star parents on Jan. 13, 2014, when their 18-year-old son, U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. Joshua Islam was killed in a training accident.
The Joshua 1:9 verse is the one they gave Josh when he left for boot camp and is now distributed on the tags made in his honor.
More 250 to come
Newberry’s celebration of America’s 250 doesn’t end on the Fourth of July.
During Constitution Week, Sept. 17-23, Marden said City Hall will be transformed into Independence Hall as part of the yearlong celebration.
Decorations like tables dressed in pale green tablecloths, old books and ink wells aim to accentuate the educational programming staff will offer during certain times of the day.
The event will culminate on Saturday by coinciding with the city’s Fabulous 50s Festival & Car Show downtown. Marden said the elementary school is already planning to attend, and he’ll reach out to Alachua County Public Schools to invite other schools, too.
While he originally planned all the 250 events with a focus on this year, Marden said he’s looking to bring some, like the battle reenactments, back after receiving requests from the community to do so.
