Royal SummerFest offering All-American celebration
File Photo - Grand marshals Pat and Dorothy Lee give the crowd a wave during last year’s Royal City SummerFest Grand Parade. This year’s festival starts July 13.
ROYAL CITY — Grab your golf clubs and your beer stein because it’s time for the Royal City SummerFest.
Set for the second weekend in July, SummerFest is Royal City’s annual community celebration, and this year the festival’s theme celebrates America and the stars and stripes.
“We’re making a big deal out of our American heritage,” said Cara Hoyt, one of the organizers of this year’s SummerFest.
The celebration begins at 6 p.m. on Friday, July 13, with music from DJ Dale Roth and barbecue followed by the Royal’s Got Talent show, more music, the Glow Run at 9:15, and finally, the fireworks show at 10 p.m.
Festivities continue at 6 a.m. on Saturday with the free All-American Breakfast, the Grand Parade at 10 a.m. featuring Grand Marshals Gary and Leslie Fanning, a car show in the US Bank parking lot at and a quilt exhibition at New Life Church at 11 a.m.
There will be mariachi music in the park from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., rock painting and finger painting at 11 a.m., pie eating contests for young people at 12:30 p.m. and 12:45 for adults, along with a show of horsemanship and bouncy houses in the park all afternoon.
“We have the Seattle Cossacks stunt team for parade and show as well,” Hoyt said.
Finally, the festivities conclude at 6 p.m. with a golf tournament, and 6:30 p.m. with a beer garden in the Moose Lodge and Mexican music and dancing until 9:30 p.m.
There are no Sunday events, but Hoyt suggested visitors still in Royal City could take in a round of golf or attend the church of their choice.
“We encourage everyone to come out,” Hoyt said. “There’s something for everyone.”
“It’s just an all-American fun time,” she added.
Charles H. Featherstone can be reached via email at countygvt@columbiabasinherald.com.