Fun Fourth Festival

Celebrating our Nations Birthday

A Downtown Greensboro Tradition since 1975
In 1975, a group of volunteers with a small grant from the Guilford County Bicentennial
Commission chaired by Anita Schenck, staged a one-day festival in the 300 block of South Elm
Street. This pilot project showed organizers what to do in preparation for the two-day event slated
for July 3 and 4 in 1976, the 200th birthday of our nation.
The Bicentennial Celebration was held in the historic commercial area that would become
known as Old Greensborough. The Mantelworks Restaurant served as headquarters; Gene
Messick was the organizer and the budget was $25,000. Publicity chairman Ed Booker blanketed
Greensboro with informational handbills.
A geodesic dome was built in the parking lot at 344 South Elm Street by nimble volunteers
including architectural student Bruce Cantrell. Red, white and blue bunting was sewn and hung
from light poles, T-Shirts were printed for volunteers, flag poles were lashed to every parking
meter, one outdoor stage was erected, and artists, crafts exhibitors and concessions booths were set
in place. Red tape was non-existent.
A Bicentennial Parade began the festivities on Saturday morning, July 3. Bicentennial
Ceremonies followed, elected officials were introduced, speeches were made and then musicians
and dancers took the stage. The Greensboro Parks and Recreation Department brought children
from 42 summer playground programs to march proudly in the parade and to operate game
booths that they had designed and built. Word spread about the fun people were having and
large crowds arrived for the second day of festivities on Sunday afternoon.
In 1977, Mayor Jim Melvin asked the volunteers in Old Greensborough to continue the
effort, believing that Greensboro needed to stage an annual Independence Day celebration and
that downtown was a good place to do it. John Tasker, Jr. and Bob Williams were named cochairmen, the United Arts Council agreed to serve as fiscal agent, and the City of Greensboro
committed its resources from Parks and Recreation, Police, Fire and Transportation departments.
The Coliseum helped operate soft drink concessions. The budget was $3,000.
Red tape was minimal - no permits were required and electricity was obtained by running
extension cords into storefronts. Indeed, Bill Daisy cooked omelets on a card table in front of New
South Trading Company to boost food vending choices. A 10K footrace was added as an activity
and the Motley Parade was named after former Governor John Motley Morehead whose home
was Blandwood and whose birth date was July 4. The parade was indeed motley and included a
pet division that was ultimately discontinued due to summer heat and fracases among the
entrants.

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Over the years, Mayor Melvins wishes have been followed and a family oriented festival
has been staged every summer. Old Greensborough Preservation Society was the organizer from
1980 1992; Grassroots Productions Limited took over management responsibilities in 1993.
Other Festival Chairmen have included Molly Cooper Brady, Dick Rhyne, Dr. Arthur
Green and Betty Cone. Beginning in 1984, paid coordinators have helped guide volunteer
efforts; Coordinators have included Rebecca Fagg, Bonnie Corson, Mary Cabell Eubanks,
Laurelyn Dossett, Lou Libin, Martha Minard, Daintry OBrien, Laura Phillips and Sheila
Kitson. In 2005, Brenda Studt and Peggy Hickle were appointed as Operations Managers.
Uncle Sam has been portrayed by Jimmy Foxworth, Locke Clifford, Sam Hummel and Samuel
Richardson, III.
The addition of cash sponsorships in 1982 allowed the Festival to grow and to add paid
entertainment to its offerings. The first cash sponsors included WTQR Radio, Coca-Cola Bottling
Co., Blue Bell and Naegele Outdoor Advertising. The 175th anniversary of the founding of
Greensboro was celebrated and Lee Greenwood and John Hartford were headline performers; the
entertainment budget was $5,000!
The first Kickoff Block Party was held in 1983 in the 200 block of South Elm Street; the late
Bill Griffin booked the Clovers as entertainers and beer was served in the old Thalhimers store. A
major fire in April of 1985 destroyed all the festival booths and electrical equipment which were
stored in a warehouse on South Davie Street; building materials were donated and volunteers
hammered, sawed and painted every Saturday until July 4 to recreate the lost equipment.
In 1986, Fun Fourth and the whole country adopted Miss Liberty as the theme and the
festival sported a new logo that is still in use. In 1988, red tape concerns were addressed
successfully and a fireworks finale at the Weaver Education Center parking lot was added to Fun
Fourth Festival. A Heritage Area and a Beer Garden were also added to the mix of traditional
activities being enjoyed by 75,000 annually.
In 1989, amusement rides were added and the areas for food and crafts vending were
doubled. The late Keith Whitley was the country music headliner and over 90,000 people
attended. News & Record sponsored the first POPS concert and the Greensboro Philharmonia
played the 1812 Overture to introduce the fireworks.
In 1991, Mayor Vic Nussbaum asked the Festival to organize around the Salute to Freedom
theme to celebrate the return of Gulf War veterans. Governor Jim Martin attended and Brigadier
General Buster Glosson, USAF, made the Independence Day Address. Special exhibits included a
Blackhawk helicopter, a tank, and the brand-new Humvees. The public planted flags in the
Freedom Flag Garden and wrote messages to veterans on the Salute to Freedom kiosk.
Attendance hit 100,000 for the first time. Jefferson-Pilot sponsored the major fireworks finale in
honor of Roger Soles who was a veteran of World War II.
Since 1993, Fun Fourth Festival has featured gospel music, created an interactive Childrens
Village and a Global Village to highlight our growing international community. Six to eight stages
have offered a variety of entertainment annually. A dance hall was created in the cool area under
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the Greene Street Parking Deck. In 1998, red tape and fireworks safety rules interceded once
again and the Finale POPS Concert and Fireworks Spectacular were moved to Grimsley High
School Stadium. The Independence Day Parade was enhanced as an opening tradition under the
leadership of Mark Davidson.
In 2000, the heritage area was moved to the historic Blandwood campus where
Revolutionary War Re-enactors set up an encampment annually to remind us how our freedom
was won and what life was like 200 years ago. Over 800 people toured Blandwood and the first
Back Porch Stage presented traditional and folk music.
The Street Festival added a stage and activities area for teens in 2001. Two beer gardens
and thirty food vending booths served the huge crowds. In 2002, Lance Products sponsored the
Thunder in the Sky Fireworks Extravaganza and News & Record continued to sponsor the Finale
Concert at Grimsley Stadium. The interactive childrens area and amusement rides were a focal
point in 2003.
In 2005, the Festival moved its location to the Cultural District, taking advantage of the
Center City Park site and the Cultural Center. Construction on South Greene Street and the
growth in the Old Greensborough entertainment district prompted this move, which was well
received by the participants. In 2006, Olympic Gold Medal Winner Joey Cheek returned to his
hometown to serve as Grand Marshal of the Parade. The road races were renamed Fun Fourth
Freedom Run & Walk; participants honored veterans and active military personnel and donations
for Phone Cards were accepted. The theme for 2008 was Greensboros Bicentennial.
In 2011, the Pops Concert and Fireworks were moved to the new White Oak Amphitheatre
at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex and the public was invited to tailgate before the event.
In 2015, Systems Thinkers Brenda Studt and Peggy Hickle, assisted by Aislinn Spain and
Dale Koch, guided the efforts and creativity of 40 volunteer chairmen and over 1,000 volunteers
who help stage the festival. The budget for 2015 called for about $90,000 in cash sponsorships,
registration fees, admissions and concessions income along with over $200,000 of in-kind services
to be provided by media partners, local business and organizational sponsors, the City of
Greensboro and Guilford County.
In 2015 Fun Fourth presented four events including the Freedom Run on June 27, the
Kickoff Block Party on July 3, and the Parade and Street Festival and the POPS and Fireworks on
July 4. The Independence Day Parade and the Street Festival were held in the Historic
Commercial District due to construction of the LeBauer Park and the performing arts center in the
Cultural District. The Pops Concert and Fireworks were staged at the White Oak Amphitheatre at
the Greensboro Coliseum Complex.
The Fun Fourth Advisory Board is grateful for the volunteers who stage the Festival and the
Sponsors that make it possible to continue a tradition enjoyed by more than 80,000 citizens and
15,000 out-of-county visitors annually. We enjoyed planning the 41st event and making the 2015
Fun Fourth Festival a great celebration for Greensboro.
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In the Fall of 2015, the Grassroots Board of Directors voted to disband the organization by
the end of 2016 and hand off its events and equipment to others in the community. Downtown
Greensboro, Inc. has stepped up to become the producer of Festival of Lights and Fun Fourth
Festival in collaboration with the City of Greensboro and other community organizations.
Betty Cone, Festival Advisor

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