Three Big Area Fourth of July Events Coming Up Next Weekend

The Ava area is host each year to three major Fourth of July events, and the way the calendar falls this year, the annual events will be held on consecutive nights, June 29, 30 and July 1.

Heart of the Ozarks Healthcare will kick off the activities on Friday night, June 29, at the nursing home location in south Ava.

Activities there begin at 6 p.m. with games and activities for the kids and more than 60 vendors signed up display booths.

The program will conclude with a professional fireworks display at dark, presented by AM Pyrotechnics.

Again this year, off-site parking will be provided at Murphy General Store property (Drury University) at the bottom of the hill and First Southern Baptist Church will run a shuttle throughout the evening, carrying people to and from the event.

Although parking is available at the facility site, there is never enough space available to accommodate the big crowd. By riding the shuttle you will be dropped off at the front gate and will not have to walk.

Parking is free both at the facility site and at the Murphy property.

The second big event of next weekend will be on Saturday night, June 30, at Squires.

The annual Squires Picnic will get under way at 5 o’clock and will feature concessions, kids’ games, live entertainment and door prizes.

A big fireworks display will close out the program, beginning around 10 p.m.

The Squires Picnic is located on the Squires Fire Department grounds at the junction of Highway 5 and Route JJ, about eight miles south of Ava.

For information about the Squires program, call 417-689-9637 or 417-250-0059.

Squires will also be accepting donations of canned and dry goods for Heart of the Hills Food Harvest.

On Sunday, July 1, Highway Church of the Nazarene will present Celebrate America.

This annual event features a skydiver, inflatable games for the kids, food, and live musical entertainment.

Singing on the open-air stage this year will be Covenant, a southern gospel group from the Waynesville area, along with soloist Becky Lercher; and a more contemporary gospel group, Lexington Heights.

Gates will open for Celebrate America at 5:30 and admission is free.

Highway Church of the Nazarene is located five miles north of Ava on Old Highway 5.

For information you can call 417-683-5341.