Fireworks, music events set for July 4

The thunder will be a lot louder this year at Haines City's Fourth of July celebration, according to city officials.

Haines City's Thunder on the Ridge Spectacular is just one of the many events happening throughout East Polk County to commemorate Independence Day.

Thunder on the Ridge Spectacular will begin at noon July 4 at Lake Eva Park on Ledwith Avenue. The event will include entertainment, arts and crafts vendors, food concessions and children's activities. Guests also can swim in the new Lake Eva water park.

The big act of the day will be nationally known recording artists, The Commodores, taking the stage at 7:30 p.m. Local artists, including Close Quarters, New Beginnings, South Band and Bitter Edge, will take the stage during the event.

Barbara Peck, events coordinator for the city of Haines City, said this year the event will feature a lot of new arts and crafts vendors, offering everything from handmade jewelry to airbrush T-shirts.

"There will be vendors offering activities for children, including face painting, a bounce house and slides, bungee jump, rock wall, duck pond and games," Peck said. "Food vendors will be on hand with all of the crowd favorites including barbeque, ice cream, pizza, funnel cakes, hotdogs, hamburgers and more."

Each year, Thunder on the Ridge hosts a watermelon- eating contest with a $100 cash prize. Peck said this is a really popular event, not only because of the cash prize, but because eating a cold piece of watermelon on a hot day is refreshing.

Peck said the event this year will be very special because it will encompass the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the completion and grand opening of Lake Eva Park, featuring a new competition pool, a kid's activities pool with a 20-foot water slide, and a splash pad area with water toys for the kids.

The ribbon cutting for the park, which has been under a major renovation and construction since March 2008, will take place beginning at 7 p.m. and will marked by a formation flyover from Retro Flight Team out of DeLand.

The public is welcome to swim in new Haines City Aquatics Center, which will be open that day from noon until 6 p.m. with no admission, Peck said.

At approximately 9:15, the day's events will conclude with a grand fireworks display, lasting 25 to 30 minutes.

"Each year we add more to the display with the latest fireworks available, making it a larger show," Peck said.

For details about Thunder on the Ridge Spectacular, contact the Haines City Parks and Recreation Department at 863-421-3700 or visit http://ci.haines-city.fl.us on the Web.

Bok Tower Gardens is also putting on its annual Independence Day Carillon Concert event on the Fourth. To celebrate the birth of the country, visitors lounging on the great lawn will be treated to the carillons playing patriotic tunes, such as "America, the Beautiful," "Yankee Doodle," "The Star-Spangled Banner," "This Land is your Land" by Woody Guthrie and "Beautiful Dreamer" by Stephen Foster, who was born on July 4, 1826.

These special concerts will take place at 1 and 3 p.m.

"Bok Tower Gardens is a great place to get away from the busy world we live in, to enjoy nature and celebrate our freedom," said Jane Hink, communications coordinator for Bok Tower Gardens.

With a theme of "Let Freedom Ring 2009," at 2 p.m. the Singing Tower will ring 13 times at 2 p.m. joining other bells across America to commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The 13 times is meant to honor the original 13 colonies and actually stems from a 1963 act of Congress authorizing a national bell-ringing tribute for the citizens across the country to hear bells ring out the same way the Liberty Bell did in 1776.

Visitors are encouraged to bring a picnic meal if they wish, or visit the Blue Palmetto Café for a bite to eat. Lawn chairs are allowed as well. While at Bok, step into the Visitor Center to see the latest exhibit, "The Birds, Bees, Flowers and Seeds" by illustrator Debra Jane Careyon, now on display through July 30.

Members of the military will be admitted to Bok Tower free of charge on July 4. Admission will be granted to all active duty, retired and disabled veterans. A valid driver's license and a DD214 or other active military identification is required for ID. The military will also receive a 50 percent discount off the regular admission price for up to three accompanying guests.

Regular admission to Bok Tower Gardens is $10 for adults and $3 for children ages 5-12.

Gardens members and children under age 5 are admitted free.

For details, call 863-676-1408 or visit www.BokTowerGardens.org.

The city of Winter Haven will again host the Rock N' Freedom Fest on the shore of Lake Silver, at Martin Luther King, Jr., Park, on July 3. Festivities begin around 7 p.m. and conclude at 9:30 with a fireworks show. The event will have live music, street performers and children's activities.

Food and beverages will be available for purchase, and families are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs.

For details, call the Leisure Services Division at 863-291-5656 or visit www.MyWinterHaven.com.

Held annually on the shore of Lake Wailes is the Independence Day Celebration in Lake Wales. Visitors can come from 2 to 9 p.m. July 4 and enjoy themselves amid plenty of activities and entertainment.

There will be food, bounce houses, face painting, a disc jockey and the bloodmobile, said Jennifer Nanek, coordinator of the Lake Wales event.

"It's a free event. There'll be good music and it's a beautiful venue," Nanek said.

For details about the Lake Wales celebration, call 863-678-4182 ext. 270.

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