Manville was the place to be the morning of July 4th for Independence Day festivities. The day started out with parade participants lining up in front of 3 Sisters. The parade, which has grown in size over the last few years, was larger this year then it has been in the past. A multitude of fire trucks, various floats, election candidates, vintage cars, tractors, a team and wagon, and a few goats—plus more—all comprised the parade. Riley Ross drove his father, Manville Mayor Rola Ross, in the parade to the tune of Toby Keith’s patriotic ‘Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue’. As many people came out to be in the parade, just as many came out to watch it, lining the parade route on both sides. 

Following the parade was a community pot luck style barbecue at the park. This event was highly attended as many took advantage of the tables and chairs placed around the area and the various games including cornhole, lawn darts, ladder balls, and Frisbee golf. “I think we had a really good turn out and it’s good to be able to have the community come together on the holiday and have everyone come together to mingle. It’s nice all the candidates for officer were able to come out,” stated Mayor Ross during the barbecue, adding, “This park is the perfect place for this [picnic] and hopefully it will continue to grow each year”. 

The idea for the barbecue stemmed from five main members including Billie Hite, Chuck Sides, Jackie Hite, Justin Collins, and Dawn Scott, with other volunteering throughout the planning and putting together. With the food line to the road, the picnic tables full, and kids enjoying the yard games, Billie Hite commented, “I think it [the picnic] turned out great. A lot of participation from the community in the county and I hope to be able to get bigger and better every year and hopefully do fireworks here one of these years”.