Main Street Roanoke Rapids will be bringing the spirit of 1776 to Hamilton Street and the Kirkwood Adams Community Center with a parade to celebrate the Fourth of July.
The Liberty on Main Parade and Festival, which will be held on Saturday, July 4, was born from discussions of the Main Street Committee, said Main Street Development Director Ashley Thomas. “One of the things we discussed was wanting to have more events on this side of town in the downtown area. The 250th is a huge celebration taking place all over the United States.”
Committee member Ryan Carroll suggested the parade, and the idea expanded with the festival following. “A lot of times people want to do something after the parade,” she said.
(The parade will begin at 10 a.m. and the festival will run through 3 p.m. To register for the parade or for a vendor slot, follow this link. For more information, contact Thomas at 252-533-2838 or by email at
While many in Roanoke Rapids think of Main Street as Roanoke Avenue, the parade will be on Hamilton Street. “It’s a little bit easier with Hamilton,” Thomas said. “It’s a road that’s owned by the city, and it leads right up to the Kirkwood Adams Community Center.”
The parade lineup will begin by the railroad tracks on Hamilton at 14th Street, proceed to Kirkwood, and then to 11th Street. “Folks on both sides will be able to get a little bit of the show.”
Main Street is currently seeking parade participants as well as vendors. The festival will begin after the parade with the posting of colors and the singing of the national anthem. The committee has also planned a patriotic dress contest, and there will be singing and dancing.
The event is free and will be family-friendly. The Main Street Committee also wants it to be a multigenerational event. The committee has already secured sponsors to provide water and hot dogs, and there will also be food trucks at the event.
The Roanoke Rapids Fire Department plans to spray water for the children. “This is going to be a great opportunity for the kids to get all wet. We’re thinking that’s going to be a big hit, too,” Thomas said.
In addition to celebrating America’s 250th, Thomas sees the event as a way to give Main Street businesses more exposure. “Any businesses on Main Street are able to participate at no cost to them, and we will have literature out about their business.”
Thomas has been letting businesses know about the event and has received a great response from owners. “It’s really about that economic visibility.”
Thomas believes it’s also important to have community events that bring out families. Since the event is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., she said it’s early enough that people can still go to other events that day. “What we’re wanting for the Main Street program is that visibility, and also bringing events that people will enjoy coming to.”
During the event, Main Street Committee members will be asking attendees questions to get ideas on other types of events they would like to see. “It will be an opportunity for us to get that feedback.”
The committee has received interest from schools and scouts. Classic cars are also expected to be in the parade. So far, Main Street has seen several registrations from vendors—anything from crafts to baked goods. “We’re reaching out to our local organizations. We’re going to also connect with our senior center to make sure that we have some multigenerational activities.”
