Managing Editor

The Rock Ranch is preparing for what is likely to be its greatest display of family fun yet.

The Rock Ranch is the personal ranch of Chick-fil-A founder S. Truett Cathy and provides wholesome family entertainment in an agricultural setting. Dedicated to the purpose of “uniting families to the land and each other,” the ranch hosts school field trips and public entertainment through its Fall Family Fun Days and special events.

Celebrate America is perhaps the grandest of these special events, and this year's festivities will be the 8th-annual “Celebrate America at The Rock Ranch”.. Gates open at 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 23, and the day of family fun will conclude with a program to honor our armed forces and veterans, including a spectacular fireworks display at dark. The entry fee is only $20 per vehicle (regardless of vehicle size or number of occupants), and it includes access to all attractions and entertainment.

Adam Pugh of the Rock Ranch says this year's show will be twice as big as shows in the past, although the weather has been dry. A fireworks permit has been issued from the county, and a fire plan is in place for the evening's show stopper.

“We applied for the permit sometime ago and received confirmation Friday, June 7,“ said Pugh. “We do have a safety plan in place where the fireworks are concerned. In addition to local volunteer fire departments, Mr. Cathy bought a firetruck for the ranch as well. Recent rain and more than qualified staff and personnel will be on hand so we don't look to be using the truck anytime soon.”

Celebrate America will include the fireworks extravaganza sponsored by Chick-fil-A Inc., a Classic Car Show, an antique tractor display, and a wide variety of live musical entertainment. Entertainment will include the Uganda Children's Choir, the Pilgrimage (bluegrass) Band the 4U2C (jazz) band, and celebrity look-a-likes of Barney Fife and Gomer Pile posing for pictures and writing tickets from their Mayberry police car.

Also included in the price of admission are unlimited rides on all of The Rock Ranch family fun attractions. Attractions include a rock climbing wall, train rides, hay rides, cow train, pony rides, carousel, 18ft slide, petting zoo, paintball shooting range, children's John Deere gators, pedal carts, inflatables, the corn box, the watermelon cannon and much more.

The car show is open to all, and contestants' show-quality vehicles are their tickets in. Classic Car Show participants must have their vehicle in place by 3 p.m. and enter through the designated car show contestant gate.

“Each year, the celebration gets more exciting. In fact, this year's fireworks show will be twice as large as the one last year,” said Jeff Manley, general manager of The Rock Ranch. “The Rock Ranch offers an escape to a simpler way of life, a farmer's life where people live with the land rather than on it and where family is more important than anything else. We invite you and your family to come and celebrate this land and this way of life; to celebrate our freedoms as Americans and those who fought to preserve those freedoms; to "Celebrate America”.

“The celebration doesn't end until after the last firework has been lit,” added Manley. “There will be plenty of fresh treats such as hamburgers, hot dogs, funnel cakes, Chick-fil-A® Chicken Sandwiches, Bar-B-Q, ice cream, snow cones, Italian ice, pop corn, boiled peanuts, cotton candy and more for guests to enjoy.”