By SARAH CAMPBELL
Leader staff writer
Firecrackers, fountains, roman candles and more will cover the night sky next week as The Leader’s coverage area celebrates the nation’s Independence Day.
The new Crossroads Cowboy Church and covered Two Bar Two Arena at 3071 Hwy. 5 in El Paso will be dedicated during a Fourth of July celebration at 5 p.m. next Sunday, July 7.
Fireworks will be set off.
Participants are invited to enjoy food, fellowship and performances by the Crossroads Cowboy Church Band and other musical groups.
The North Arkansas Association of the Church of Nazarene one block from the intersection of Hwy. 5 and Hwy. 64 in El Paso sponsored the new church and arena.
Bro. Ron Riddle has been chosen as the new church’s pastor.
For more information about the event or the church’s mission to start a “stampede back to God,” follow the church on Facebook, at www.twobartwo.com or call 501-313-6323.
Thursday and Friday, the Army’s Adventure Simulators will visit events on Thursday and Friday at Sherwood Forest and the Jacksonville Museum of Military History.
The group will offer free simulators for driving M1A1 Abrams tank, flying an Apache helicopter, a timed shooting event with a marksmanship trainer and a bomb squad exercise using an electronic ordnance disposal robotic arm from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at the museum, 100 Veterans Circle.
There is no charge for admission to the museum that day.
Sherwood’s event is from 6-9 p.m. Thursday at Sherwood Forest, 1111 W. Maryland Ave. The Army group plans to stop by the celebration in its 70-by-25-foot semi truck.
There will be a kid zone with a bounce house and fireworks start at 9 p.m.
The city will provide free hot dogs, water, chips and giveaways while supplies last.
The Sherwood Sharks swim team will be selling additional items.
The entertainment is Patriotic Pamy, Paul Morphis, Fragile Elite and Top of the Rock Chorus.
Top of the Rock will be inside the building while the other musical acts will be outside on a second stage.
Shuttles would be available from Sylvan Hills High School.
Cabot will also have a Fourth of July celebration starting at 6 p.m. at Mount Carmel Baptist Church, 163 Mount Carmel Road.
There will be patriotic music.
Hot dogs, chips and drinks will be for sale.
A bounce house, slides and an obstacle course will be set up for children. Fireworks begin at 9 p.m.
Beebe will host its Fourth of July celebration beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Beebe City Park baseball fields with a fireworks show at dusk.
The evening will feature two musical performances by Sonny Burgess and the Legendary Pacers and Wine and Roses.
There will be free hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream, water and slush puppies served.
Face painting and temporary tattoos will also be offered.
The swimming pool will be open at no charge and lifeguards will be on duty.
Ward’s annual Fourth of July celebration starts at 4:30 p.m. when the vendors open for business and the car and motorcycle show begins.
The opening ceremony at 5 p.m. will feature the Little Rock Air Force base honor guard almost immediately followed by what can be loosely described as a tractor pull.
There are no big farm tractors in the competition. Instead, contestants drive lawn mowers and lawn tractors.
The River Rats, a bluegrass band from Mountain View, will perform until 8:30 p.m. following the opening ceremony.
Vendors will have funnel cakes and fresh-squeezed lemonade for sale but the city will give away hamburgers and bottled water.
Dancers from Carla’s Dance of Ward will perform at 6:30 p.m. and the firework show will start at 9:15 or dark.
South Bend Fire Rescue will have a fireworks show at 4144 Hwy. 294, Military Road, on Thursday, July 4, beginning with a 6:30 p.m. supper.
Sonny’s Auto Salvage is sponsoring the event.
Austin does not have an Independence Day celebration but residents are allowed to shoot their own fireworks on July 3 until 10 p.m. and on July 4 until 11 p.m.
Lonoke doesn’t have a celebration, but dealers are allowed to sell fireworks from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. July 2-4. Residents are allowed to shoot fireworks from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. July 2 and 3 and from 10 a.m. until midnight July 4.