The City of Kingsport is celebrating Independence Day on July 4 with the Mack Riddle American Legion Independence Day Parade. The parade begins at 10 a.m. and will go down Center Street from Wateree Street to Memorial Park on Fort Henry Drive.

In order to accommodate this event, several roads will be closed beginning the morning of July 4 and continuing until the conclusion of the parade.

• Center Street from Sullivan Street to Fort Henry Drive.
• Fort Henry Drive from Center Street to Eastman Road.
• Wilcox Drive will be closed at Sevier Avenue.

Detour routes will be available for drivers on Sevier Avenue and Watauga and Sullivan Streets. All streets leading into Center Street along the route will be closed as needed.

Other festivities taking place in celebration of Independence Day include the Red, White and Boom event on July 5 (Saturday). Main Street will be closed beginning at 8 a.m. on July 5 with hard blocks put in place by 1 p.m.

The festivities will begin at 5 p.m. and conclude with a fireworks display at approximately 9:45 p.m. For more information go to visitkingsport.com/redwhiteboom.

The City of Kingsport would like to invite the community to celebrate a decade of joy, artistry and hometown pride at the Kingsport Carousel’s 10th birthday bash later this month.

The birthday is scheduled to take place on July 19 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Kingsport Carousel (350 Clinchfield Street). The event is free and open to the public.

Enjoy free carousel rides all day (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and a variety of activities, including crafts, games and other birthday surprises. Several food vendors will be on hand in case you need a tasty treat.

The carousel will be unveiling its new, 10 year birthday animal, visitors can enjoy the recently completed mural in the hallway and be able to purchase new merchandise in the gift shop.

“The Kingsport Carousel is one of the most magical places in our community and we’re excited to invite everyone down to help us celebrate its 10th birthday,” said Special Event and Cultural Arts Manager Kristie Leonard. “Whether you’ve ridden the carousel once or 100 times, we welcome you to come down and help us celebrate this special event.”

The Kingsport Carousel first opened to the public in July of 2015 following a six-year journey, going from one man’s visionary idea to a magical reality.

The project began as a dream of the late Gale Joh, who grew up in Binghamton, N.Y. — the “Carousel Capital of the World.” After Joh died in 2010, his widow, former Alderwoman Valerie Joh and local volunteer Reggie Martin ramped up the project and shepherded it forward.

More than 300 volunteers, woodcarvers and painters spent five years and countless hours carving and painting animals, refurbishing a donated 1956 vintage Herschell carousel frame from the Beardsley Zoo of Bridgeport, Conn., and drafting plans to open a traditional carousel adjacent to the Kingsport Farmers Market.

The carousel features 32 wooden riding animals and two chariots, 24 rounding boards depicting notable sites within the city and 24 hand-carved “sweep” animals around the top of the ride

Since opening in July 2015, the carousel has hosted more than 500,000 riders.

The carousel is open to the public year-round and all rides are $1. The carousel is currently open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The City of Kingsport is inviting residents to participate in a virtual community workshop from now until July 12.

Kingsport is currently in the process of crafting a new comprehensive plan and as part of that process, in-person community workshops were held earlier this spring. Now, to ensure all residents have the opportunity to engage with the city, the workshop content has been adapted to an online format, allowing those who were unable to attend in person to contribute their feedback towards the comprehensive planning initiative.

“This plan will illustrate the community’s desired vision for the future, including strategies for housing, transportation, economic development and quality of life,” said City Manager Chris McCartt. “In addition, the plan will help guide public investments in infrastructure and outline actionable items to achieve the community’s goals.”

This virtual workshop will provide the public with an overview of the comprehensive planning process and an opportunity to review preliminary findings of current conditions.

Participants will be asked to share their vision for Kingsport’s future and be guided through a series of activities designed to gather input on various topics including land use, housing, infrastructure, economic development, and quality of life.

“We are updating the comprehensive plan to respond to changing conditions and changing community desires,” McCartt added. “The updated plan will allow the city to respond to current challenges like population growth, infrastructure demands, and take advantage of economic opportunities while preserving the city’s unique character and resources.”

To learn more and share your vision for Kingsport, visit the Kingsport Comprehensive Plan Virtual Community Workshop webpage at https://bit.ly/4lloUar.

Bays Mountain Park is excited to announce the unveiling of a new, interactive exhibit in the Nature Center.

The exhibit is titled Discover Our Appalachian Highlands Home and features a large lake diorama with various mammals, reptiles, birds and aquatic life native to our region. The exhibit also includes information panels and interactive sensory stations.

“Our region is a landscape of resilience, balance, and deep ecological connections—where forests, waterways, and wildlife have evolved together in a dynamic and interdependent system,” said Park Manager Megan Krager. “Our new exhibit is designed to bring this story to life, offering visitors an immersive experience that fosters appreciation, understanding, and stewardship of our unique region.”

Park staff began developing the concept and design for the new exhibit about a year ago, with construction starting on the $53,000 project this past March. Exhibits Designer Cassy Rose designed the exhibit and along with Exhibit Supervisor Allen Davis, the two completed the diorama last week.

The diorama features many animals from our region, including black bear, turkey, chipmunk, beaver, blue heron, coyote, raccoon, bobcat, woodpecker and otter. Children can also crawl into the beaver lodge and look at the animals from beneath the water.

New sensory stations have been installed where visitors can feel the difference between six different types of fur, touch various types of replica mammal scat and smell the scents of the beaver, raccoon and white-tailed deer.

“This new exhibit is designed to captivate children and adults alike, making ecological concepts relatable and inspiring,” said Exhibits Designer Cassy Rose. “By including Interactive components—such as touchable models, scent stations, and sound displays—our new exhibit will ensure an inclusive experience for visitors of all abilities.”

For more information about Bays Mountain Park and its programs, events and activities, visit www.baysmountain.com.