“It's been awesome,” said  DRA spokesperson Allen Johnson. “It's been much smoother today than it has ever been.”

Up to 50 vendors offered all manner of food and memorabilia, while other attractions included dunking booths, a washer tournament and pneumatic playground equipment.

“It's truly been a Funtastic Fourth,” Johnson said.

But there was more to the event than having fun — the main focus, Johnson said, was to give thanks to God for the freedoms enjoyed in this country.

Crowds were steady throughout the afternoon and were expected to reach capacity levels for evening performances by top Christian groups Crimson Soul and Shane and Shane.

Music was the main attraction throughout the day, as groups and individuals performed on a stage erected on Scurry Street adjacent to the park.

“We're proud of our new stage ... and we've heard nothing but good things from people about it,” Johnson said Friday afternoon.

This marked the second year the event had a religious theme and Johnson said the idea is really catching on with visitors.

“We had a lot more participation from area churches this year than we had last time,” he said. “So it's a lot more exciting this year. Next year, we hope to double the participation. Our goal is the same — we want to get every church in this area involved.”

While declaring the event a success, Johnson said DRA organizers would soon be at work planning on an even better event for next year.

“We'll start planning for next year next week,” he said. “Some of the bigger acts have to be booked long in advance and we waited too long this time, so we're going to get started even earlier in that regard ... This event is going great, but it can get even bigger.”

Contact Staff Writer Steve Reagan at 263-7331 ext. 234 or by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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