An evening of red, white and blue

On Friday night, July 12, the fields at Wald Park will be awash in red, white and blue, as residents splash, snack and sway their way into the Fourth of July holiday.

The July 12 event, rescheduled from July 3, due to rain, is the first of two I Love America Day events taking place this summer (the second will be the evening of Friday, Aug. 16). Both events are organized by the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce. Rain dates are respectively scheduled for July 12 and Aug. 17 at the same location.

The fun begins at 6 p.m., with a Kid’s Zone plentifully filled with bounce houses and field games, and free swimming at the Wald Park pool. Elsewhere on the grounds, more than 40 sponsors and vendors will greet guests with refreshments, giveaways and other freebies along the entrance to the evening’s main attraction – open-air seating for a patriotic performance from Vestavia’s own Shades Mountain Baptist Orchestra. The concert begins promptly at 7 p.m. Following the show, festivities will continue with the final event of the evening, an at-dusk screening of Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted.

While four-legged friends (and other pets) will need to stay home, event planners are encouraging residents to bring their lawn chairs, blankets and sunscreen, to enjoy a relaxing evening outdoors.

 “We have consistently had good turnouts not just from Vestavia but from surrounding communities, too,” said Jim Frazier, who manages the Mobile Rec program for Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church, which has sponsored the Kid Zone area at I Love America Day for more than a decade.

 “When I first started, they were holding I Love America Day in the parking lot by the pool from 1-4 in the afternoon and charging for carnival rides,” said Frazier. “I remember it being very hot. At some point we realized it needed a fresh start, and we came up with the idea of a night event with a movie and a laser light show.  Shades  Mountain Baptist said they would provide the patriotic music, and VHUMC said we would provide the children’s area. We threw in a free swim at the pool, and the rest is history.”

Community response has warmly embraced the change, with families scurrying over to Wald Park as fast as they can leave work and collect the family.

For Katherine Bear, despite the demanding travel schedule she maintains as a sales executive for CVS Caremark, I Love America Day is a can’t-miss event.

 “This is one of the few times that the city of Vestavia Hills truly gets together and enjoys fellowship, food and fun as a community in celebration of the wonderful country where we live,” she said. “You’ll find my son, Emory, in line for the tallest bounce house there, as always.”