By NICK YAMASHITA
The Progress
This weekend is the July 4th holiday and there are many celebrations going on in both the Virgin Valley and Moapa Valley communities.
All of these activities are ramping up again after a mandatory year off due to the COVID-19 restrictions of last summer. Many promise to be better this year than ever.
Here is a brief summary of the festivities coming up in our communities.
Moapa Valley
The traditional Moapa Valley Independence Day celebration is coming back this year in full swing.
“We are so looking forward to celebrating our nation,” said Lori Houston, one of the coordinators for the free Moapa Valley Independence Day Celebration. “There are no major changes to our schedule other than it being bigger and better.”
This year’s Moapa Valley event is following the theme: Freedom: Moapa Valley Independence Day Celebration. All of the festivities will occur on Saturday, July 3.
The celebration will be at the Clark County Fairgrounds at 1301 Whipple Ave. in Logandale, Nevada.
Events will begin at 7:00 am for the flag-raising ceremony which will be performed by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #8336. The ceremony is being coordinated by Lorraine O’Dell of the VFW Post auxiliary.
The other morning events include breakfast at 7:15 am. A whole variety of games and activities will be provided by local staff of Clark County Parks and Recreation beginning at 8:00 am.
A Children’s Freedom Parade through the fairgrounds will bewgin at 9:30 am. Patriotic swag will be available for kids to decorate their bikes, wagons, or just themselves, to prepare for the parade.
A Watermelon eating contest will begin at 10:30 am. This is followed by the ever-popular Fire Department water fight on the west lawn where the whole crowd can get cooled off under the spray of fire hoses operated by volunteers of the Moapa Valley Fire District.
After that, the activities are suspended during the heat of the day.
But as the sun sinks in the sky, folks can return for the evening program.
The evening program includes a flag retirement ceremony by the VFW at 5:00 pm sharp. Dinner will immediately followed, provided by the Moapa Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Then the stage will be alive with local entertainment. Local dance and tumbling team performances will take place at 6:00 pm. Then the ‘Legends of Rock’ band will take to the stage for a concert starting at 7:30 pm.
The Legends of Rock include Luke Randall guitar/vocals, Dutch Workman drums, Ryan Tilby bass guitar, John Houston keyboards, and Rick Houston guitar.
Community Spirit awards will be presented at 8:30 pm. The National Anthem will then be performed by Kaeli Newsom which will kick off the community fireworks display at 9:00 pm.
Houston expressed appreciation to all event sponsors which include the VFW, Moapa Valley Rotary Club, Karen Alsum Insurance, Lois Hall -Realtor, Cal’s Auto Repair, Lin’s, Moapa Valley Fire Department, Elwin Brown, Bennett Family, Moapa Valley Chamber of Commerce, and everyone who has helped out financially and with volunteering.
Mesquite
The “Rockets over the Red Mesa” will return in all its glory this year, put on by the Eureka Resort in Mesquite. The event will be on Sunday, July 4 and will be free to all attendees.
The Nevada POPS Orchestra will provide music for the evening and accompaniment for the splendid fireworks display.
“Eureka is extremely proud to resume Mesquite’s annual “Rockets Over the Red Mesa” tradition on Sunday, July 4,” said a release from the resort announcing the festivities.
The celebration will begin at 6:00 pm for a Community Vendor Village. This vendor fair benefits charitable organizations in the community and gives each organization an opportunity to showcase the services it offers.
In the past, this vendor event has benefited such organizations as We Care for Animals, Salvation Army, Mesquite Works, the Exchange Club of Mesquite and more.
The Vendor Village will offer all sorts of products, arts, crafts, and more available to purchase.
A live DJ will be working the Village event to give some added musical excitement to the festivities.
The Nevada POPS Orchestra will perform a concert beginning at 8:00 pm. The POPS will be joined by Travis Cloer, one of the stars of the Broadway musical “Jersey Boys.” Cloer plays Frankie Valli in the Tony Award-winning show. He has also been voted as Best of Las Vegas in the Review Journal newspaper.
The concert will lead directly into the fireworks show which will begin at about 9:00 pm, accompanied by the Nevada POPS Orchestra.
This event was mentioned by Fox 5 Vegas as one of the best 4th of July events to attend this year and “watch some of the best fireworks around.”
All of these events will be held behind the Eureka Casino Resort at 275 Mesa Blvd in Mesquite. All attendees are recommended to bring their own seating and water.
Along with the fireworks, Eureka will be having a Gold Member Discount on the All American BBQ Buffet available only on July 4 in Town Square from 4-8 pm. Menu items include Steak and Shrimp, BBQ Ribs, BBQ Chicken, Burgers, Hot Dogs, and More.
Moapa Paiute Travel Plaza
The Moapa Travel Plaza will be resuming its annual fireworks show and concerts with musical performances on both July 3rd and 4th and fireworks shows following on both evenings.
For July 3rd the concert will feature Smashmouth and Gin Blossoms. On July 4th Blackberry Smoke and the Frontmen will take the stage. Both concerts start at 6:30 pm and take place at the Main Stage near the Moapa Travel Plaza.
Of course the bands Smashmouth and Gin Blossoms were huge in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Smashmouth provided hit after hit such as “All-Star”, “Walking on the Sun”, and more. Gin Blossom hit the charts in 1992 with “Hey Jealousy” and has added hits with “Follow You Down” and “Until I Fall Away”.
The band Blackberry Smoke originated in 2000, consisting of the Southern Rock/Country Rock genre.
Their hits include Flesh and Bone, One Horse Town, Waiting for the Thunder, and Let Me Down Easy.
The Frontmen are a country group that consists of former lead singers of Restless Heart, Lonestar, and Little Texas and hit the Billboard charts in 2018 with “If it wasn’t for the Radio.”
The Moapa Paiute Travel Plaza is located just off the Valley of Fire Exit 75 of Interstate 15. For more information call (702) 865-2032 or visit moapaconcerts.com.
