The 35th Annual 4th of July Celebration in Wheeler will take place around the Wheeler Courthouse Square on Friday, July 3rd and Saturday, July 4th. In an effort to support our local businesses, most everything will be moved to downtown.
We will move forward with a 3-Tier System approach that is based on # of positive cases in and around Wheeler County prior to the 4th to determine which tier we will follow. As of now, we have the following activities planned with respect to guidelines and suggestions of our leaders. DSHS COVID-19 Opening the State of Texas (scroll to the bottom to find the most recent guidance on opening businesses/large events): https://www.dshs.state.tx.us/coronavirus/opentexas.aspx
Governors Executive Order GA-26 June 3, 2020: https://gov.texas.gov/uploads/files/press/EO-GA-26_expanded_opening_COVID-19.pd
On Friday, July 3rd starting at 6:00 pm Cornerstone’s “Bring Back the Drag - Red, White and Blue Edition” along with Legends (tune in to 103.9 FM) will feature local guest DJs.Grand prize for the most patriotic decorated car on the drag! There will be food, fun, and great DJ style music! (Giveaways and Special guest throughout the party)
At 6:30 pm the Janette Umsted Memorial Scholarship Corn Hole Tournament will have signups and start tossing at 7:00 pm. The cost is $25 per player and will be double elimination.
We are also looking to host some of our favorite, talented musicians – Mitchell Ford and the Volunteers and JW Lane & CR X will hit the stage. We are looking forward to some LIVE music on Friday, July 3rd downtown starting around 8pm. They never disappoint!
For the 1st time, we hope to start a new tradition for the community, a North vs South Fireworks Pop Off Competition. This competition will see if the North or South can bring the BEST Fireworks Show; 7th Street will determine North vs. South. If you would like to participate, you can donate or purchase fireworks at our local fireworks stands and let them know if it is for North or South side or drop off your fireworks to the WVFD Station by 5pm on Friday, July 3rd. The Wheeler Volunteer Fire Department will be in charge of the competition and will be staged at a location on the North Side (Wheeler Track) and on the South Side (Industrial Park). The competition will start after Mitchell Ford and the Volunteers play (approximately 9:30 pm) and before JW Lane & CRX. The winner of the competition will be announced on Saturday at our Awards Ceremony before the big fireworks show presented by the WVFD.
On Saturday, July 4th starting at 7:30 am we will kick off our 35th Annual Celebration with Breakfast on the Square and Sybil will have face painting available for those wanting their face painted for the parade. She will be set up in Rogue Theatre located at 406 Main Street.
The Parade will start at 9:00 am and will take a different route this year to be sure and include our Parkview Assisted Living and Wheeler Nursing Home residents, but will end up at the Courthouse Square. The parade starts at 10th and Sweetwater and will head west down 10th to the Wheeler Nursing and Rehab, turn north on Kiowa Street to 7th, turn east on Kiowa to Main Street, then north on Main and end at the Courthouse Square. The Opening Ceremonies will begin at 10:00 am around the Courthouse Square.
The Opening Ceremonies will begin at 10:00 am around the Courthouse Square. We will have numerous activities and vendors around the Square. We are still looking for volunteers/organizations that would be willing to host some games/activities, please contact chamber@wheelertexas.org if you are interested in being a part of the celebration. We will host a turtle/frog race, so you can be on the lookout for either. We will not be hosting the Firecracker Pageant, the Fun Run, 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament or have bounce houses this year. There will not be a chamber booth to purchase tickets, you will just pay for things as needed per vendor. Some activities that will cost would be face painting, Crafty Shack – Come and Go Kid’s Crafts, confetti eggs and water games. If you are interested in being a vendor (food or activity), please email chamber@wheelertexas.org for more details on our protocols in place or pick up information packet at City Hall (under the water tower). We will have hand washing and hand sanitizing stations set up around the square.
We will also have Kids and Art Care and Kids at Heart artwork displayed in the Rogue Theatre (406 Main Street) for people to bid and purchase. Money raised goes to various community projects. The next project is to help build the supplies for crafts for our Parkview Assisted Living and Wheeler Nursing and Rehab residents.
There will also be a Silent Auction held in the Rogue Theatre (406 Main Street) with many great options, so be sure to go cool down and check out all the great projects, art and items that afternoon. IF you are local business or organization that would like to donate Silent Auction items, please contact Christie Davis 806.736.0418 or chamber@wheelertexas.org. We appreciate your consideration and generosity and look forward to a fun auction.
This year we will host the first “Wheeler’s Got Talent” Show that will showcase our talented locals and we will be awarded with ca$h prizes (1st: $300, 2nd: $200, 3rd: $100)!! The sign up is free and the deadline will be Wednesday, July 1st. You can pick up a form at City Hall (under the water tower) or email chamber@wheelertexas.org. Those that make it to the finals will be the LIVE Entertainment for Saturday evening.
To wrap up the day, we will move to Tom Britt Memorial Park for “Wheeler’s Got Talent” Finale, the Chamber “of the Year” Awards Ceremony and our Friends of Veterans will present (14) Quilts to our local veterans. We will then announce the winner of the North vs South Fireworks Pop Off Competition and then hand it over to the Wheeler Volunteer Fire Department for one of the best fireworks shows around.
Sunday, July 5th, we will have clean up at Tom Britt Memorial Park, the Courthouse Square, the Industrial Park and Wheeler Track field on Sunday morning to beat the heat and for those wanting to go to church. We will start at 7am to pick up the trash and fireworks. Please join us if you are able, the more that help, the faster it will go! Be sure to wear gloves.
Don’t forget to send us your nominations for the Wheeler Chamber “Of The Year” to chamber@wheelertexas.org. Tell us who you think should be Man, Woman, Teenager, Business, Employee, Volunteer or Pioneer(s) of the Year. Let us know why you think they deserve it!
We are not seeking sponsors this year, as we understand the hardships and complications due to COVID-19, and do not want to put a burden on any business. Our intentions would be that we can bring the community together in a safe and acceptable way while respecting one another and supporting our local businesses and organizations. As a business, please send your hours of operation for Saturday, July 4th to chamber@wheelertexas.org, we will get it published.
We look forward to another fun-filled 4th of July Celebration!
