With Independence Day falling on a weekend this year, a variety of activities are offered to keep families busy this weekend.

  The Hometown Celebration will be held Friday, July 3, at Cocke County A&I Fairgrounds. The event will kick off at 5 p.m. with the Cocke County High School JROTC leading a special opening ceremony.

  The free event will feature a variety of children's activities including three water slides, games, the Kiwanis train, and a large coloring mural. A large beach, made from 10 tons of sand, will also be set up at the event.

  While supplies last, each person will be given a food. Food vouchers enable guests to get free Food City hot dogs, ice cream, chips, cotton candy, popcorn, popsicles, drinks, and watermelon.

  Leadership Cocke County's Class of 2009 will be accepting canned foods to donate to local charities.

  The Cocke County Fire Department will manage the fireworks at the event's conclusion. Several sponsors have made the event possible.

  White Pine Ruritan Club will sponsor the annual Fourth of July parade and festivities on Saturday in White Pine.

  Line up for the parade will begin at 9 a.m. off Maple Street in front of the White Pine Ruritan Building. All entries wanting to be judged should be in line by 9:30 a.m. The parade will begin at 10 a.m.

  Robert Leeper will be grand marshal. He attended school in White Pine then worked as a brickmason in the area, then moved to California when work became difficult to find locally.

  Leeper returned to the area and worked as assistant maintenance supervisor for Morristown City Schools until the 1960s. He then worked at Enka for 36 years. Now retired, he is an associate member of the White Pine Ruritan Club and chairs the White Pine Planning Commission.

  The parade will proceed to Lions Pavilion, off Roy Messer Hwy., near White Pine School. At the pavilion, opening ceremonies will be held, featuring Bailey Walker singing the National Anthem. Beauty pageants will follow the ceremony.

  In nearby Hot Springs, N.C., a fireworks display begins at dark on Saturday at the Hot Springs Spa and Campground.

  Free activities for youngsters will be provided. Other events include a street dance with live music from "Kemistry" starting at 7:30 p.m. Food vendors will offer a variety of meals and snacks, and local businesses will be open late.

  "This whole thing is paid for by donations to the fire department from the local businesses," explains Hot Springs fire Chief Donnie Green. "We are grateful to our area merchants for their contributions."