Jen and Dave and Rob had a crazy weekend!

Jen and Dave and Rob had a crazy weekend!

The Fourth of July Festival in Southport and Oak Island was a whirlwind of bands, activities, food, friends and fun!

Jen and Dave spent the weeks leading up to the Fourth of July updating TheEventGuide.com to ensure that all of the information was accurate. They also carefully crafted their own itinerary so that they could experience as much of the festival as possible.

Jen had the genius idea of renting Dave an eBike from OKI Bike and Paddle Co so that they could cruise around town and avoid some of the inevitable traffic. With Rob on his one-wheel and Jen and Dave on their eBikes, there was no limit to where they could go.

Thursday, June 30th

Jen and Rob started off the weekend by attending the opening ceremonies on The Garrison Lawn in Southport. They were able to listen to the reading of The Declaration of Independence and had the opportunity to sign it. (Dave was unavailable on Thursday and he definitely prefers to remain dependent on people, so he definitely wouldn’t have signed). This was followed by the 440TH Army Band. It was a tasteful and patriotic way to kick off the weekend.

Friday, July 1st

On Friday, July 1st, they cruised over to Middleton Park to register for Beach Day activities. Rob and some friends were pumped to play volleyball while Jen and Dave chose something a little less intense and signed up for the cornhole tournament. Rob was able to play several games while Jen and Dave were immediately crushed by a father/son team who were clearly professional cornhole players. They brought their own bags! That is the only reasonable explanation for a score of 21-0.

After a quick change of clothes, they returned to Middleton Park to listen to Mayor Liz White address the crowd and remind everyone that July 1st was Oak Island’s 23rd birthday! Mayor White then introduced CAT5 and the party started. Hundreds of locals and visitors alike danced and sang along to CAT5’s impressive repertoire. They even included a shag contest where dozens of dancers showed off their skills. Jen and Dave then zipped up to The Lazy Turtle to meet up with friends and enjoy the fireworks which were launched from the OKI Pier. The weather was perfect and everyone was able to enjoy patriotic music DJ’d by DJ Whale.

Saturday, July 2nd

Unfortunately on Saturday, Jen and Dave awoke to learn that all of the days official activities had been canceled due to Tropical Storm Colin. They spent several hours updating TheEventGuide.com to ensure that all of the cancelations had been noted. As the day progressed and the weather cleared, they decided to take their eBikes around town and enjoy the day. While they were out they discovered that the Summer Block Party at Pescada y Amor was proceeding as planned! Jen, Dave and Rob were welcomed in with live music, a cookout, and vendors.

Then it was off to Seaside Mermaid for ice cream, coffee drinks, and truffles! They had earned it…plus Rob demanded that they go.

Next it was Second Wind for Christine Martinez band…they always bring down the house. Then The Lazy Turtle for Nashville star Jordan Oaks and some late night eats. Jen and Dave were thrilled that even with inclement weather affecting most of the day’s plans, everyone was in a festive mood and enjoying the music options.

Sunday, July 3rd

On Sunday they decided to take the e-Bikes into Southport. With Jen and Dave on their bikes and Rob on his one-wheel, they stopped first at the arts & crafts fair at Franklin Square Park and then decided to grab some food on the waterfront. Dave had the cheesesteak while Jen and Rob had enormous corndogs. After lunch they biked down to American Fish Co. to check out Skip Groove. It was their first time hearing them and they were impressed. Their fans are spectacular; dressed in full Fourth of July outfits and showing their national pride.

They then ran into Kassie Simmons from WECT News 6! She was kind enough to take a picture with Jen and Dave before quickly walking away. There was some time to tool around Southport before the next stop so they took the bikes along the waterfront where they were thrilled to find that an incredibly thoughtful neighbor had left out a cooler filled with ice-cold water free of charge (we were so grateful, we left a tip).

Next was the Stephan Stiller Tunnels to Towers 9/11 Display. It was heartwarming to see that it was packed with festivalgoers paying their respects and asking questions of the attendants. This was a great lead in to enjoy the Firefighters Competition. Firefighters from all over the county competed in a bucket brigade, a blindfolded firehose challenge, firehose bowling and several other competitions. It was beautiful that so many people turned out to show their support! Upon returning to Oak Island, Jen and Dave popped into Second Wind to catch The Doorsmen. The Doorsmen never disappoint and were the perfect end to a great day.

Monday, July 4th

On the Fourth of July, Jen, Dave and Rob went to Southport early to stake out the perfect parade viewing spot in front of Southport Tap & Cellar. After claiming their spot, they biked down to Trinity Methodist Church for a pancake breakfast. The pancakes, sausage, coffee and juice were fantastic and the volunteers ran the event with kindness and precision.

After the pancake breakfast it was time for the parade! The weather cleared just in time for local businesses, pageant winners, a marching band, Shriners, clowns, and a monster truck to keep the viewers entertained for the hour long parade. The Southport Police kept the crowd safe and under control.

Once the parade was over, Jen, Dave and Rob rushed back over to Oak Island, ditched the car and hopped on the bikes so they wouldn’t miss The Brunswick Brawl Pro Wrestling event in Middleton Park! The pro wrestling event was so much bigger than expected. Even in the heat the wrestlers and their handlers put on an incredible performance. It was awesome to see how many kids were cheering on their favorite wrestler. Watching the wrestlers engage with the audience and allowing some kids to participate made it extra special for those in attendance. Dave and Rob also learned that Jen is actually a hardcore pro wrestling fan which was…let’s say…unexpected.

At the end of the wrestling match, everyone was treated to watching the Uncle Sam Jump. Several skydivers jumped above the beach with one unfurling an enormous American Flag. It was definitely and awe-inspiring end to an incredible and exhausting weekend!

Jen and Dave and Rob are already looking forward to next year but in the meantime, Jen and Dave will continue to bring you all of the events in Southport and Oak Island.