Three bands, ceremony, highlight 25th Rockin’ the Docks July 4
“It’s at our cove area there along the water just beside the Fort Loudoun Dam,” said Zack Cusick, Lenoir City Parks & Recreation director who is heading up the event. “People who normally come should expect great food, great music and an awesome fireworks show. “
Though the event is free of charge, “If you come by car, we do ask for a donation at parking,” Cusick said. “It’s any donation — just to help offset the cost.
“Our food vendors will be ready to serve at 1 o’clock, and then our first band will go at 5 p.m. (Mike Snodgrass and the Whisker Funk); second band at 6:30 (p.m., RMS Band). We’ll have the Patriotic Ceremony about 8 o’clock, and then our third band starts at 8:30 (p.m., WIMZ Garage Band), finishing up about 10 (p.m.),” he added. “That’s when we’ll shoot off the fireworks. Bands will perform just down right by the water in our open grass field area.”
As for band genres, “The first one is more of your classic boating music,” Cusick said about Snodgrass and company. “RMS is a little bit of the classic rock, and then the garage band, they play just a little bit of everything.”
About the Patriotic Ceremony, “We always do a special celebration about 8 o’clock to make sure that we’re recognizing our military and our veterans and everything that they’ve done for our country to make sure that we’re still the best country,” he said. “We’ll have our Lenoir City Legion Post 70.”
As for refreshments, “Food vendors will be along our shelter and tree line,” Cusick said. “They’re at our city park, so they’ll be able to enjoy the food and stuff in the shade.” Drinks include “any Coke products — but no alcohol is permitted. And no tobacco products.”
Attendees “can bring lawn chairs, blankets, a tent — anything to help them enjoy the time while they’re listening to the music,” Cusick said. “And they shouldn’t have to worry about bringing their own cooler since we’ll have food vendors and drink vendors there as well.”
Addressing security, “We’ll have plenty of officers and emergency responders there to help with any issues,” the director said. “But if people do get out of hand or have alcohol, then they’ll be removed.”
In case of bad weather, “We’ve had a couple (of years) where if the bad weather shows up late, we might have to move the fireworks up from that 10 (p.m.) position,” Cusick said. “That way, we’d have enough time to shoot the fireworks, then get everybody back to their car safely and get them out of there.
“Normally, we don’t want to say (the event will happen) rain or shine, but it’s pretty close to rain or shine,” he added.
Making it all possible, “We’ve got our great sponsors like Lenoir City Utilities Board; we’ve got, obviously, City of Lenior City; we’ve got Tellico Realty — and they’ve been with us since the very beginning; we’ve got Carriage Hill Insurance along with the Brethen Foundation; and we’ve got Malibu Boats jumping in with us this year,” the director said.
