A red, white and blue celebration

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Plans finalized for Snyder’s Independence Day festivities

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  • Tyler Minton (left) and Dakota Pidwell rode a carnival ride during the Pride of Texas Carnival at Towle Park Friday night.
    Tyler Minton (left) and Dakota Pidwell rode a carnival ride during the Pride of Texas Carnival at Towle Park Friday night.
  • A’Lexus Berry went down the slide at the carnival Friday night.
    A’Lexus Berry went down the slide at the carnival Friday night.
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Next week, Snyder will be the site of multiple activities and events during a two-day Fourth of July celebration.
“I think the Fourth of July is going to go great this year,” Snyder Chamber of Commerce Events Coordinator Josh Ortegon said. “We have such loyal community members that I think it will be just as well-attended on a Wednesday this year as it is on weekends.”
Fourth of July festivities have already kicked off with the opening of the Pride of Texas Carnival. The carnival is located on the parking lot next to the Towle Park swimming pool. The carnival will open at 6 p.m. Monday and Tuesday and at 1 p.m. Wednesday.
Festivities will continue Tuesday when Towle Park and the armory open to vendors. Vendors will be able to set up booths beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, and all booths will open to the public at 4 p.m. Tuesday.
On Wednesday morning the annual prayer breakfast hosted by the Snyder Lions Club will begin at 7:30 a.m. at Towle Park Barn and will include donuts, milk and coffee.
Retired Operations Superintendent of the 55th Rescue Squadron Master Sergeant Edwin G. Neeley will be the guest speaker and the program will include performances by local musician Shelly Bradberry and a men’s quartet, who will perform hymns and a salute to the armed services. Veterans are encouraged to attend the breakfast and stand when their military branch’s song is played.
There is no admission cost for the prayer breakfast, but donations will benefit Lion’s Club community service projects.
Also on Wednesday morning, there will be a flag raising ceremony at 9 a.m. at the National Guard Armory.
All vendors will open to the public at 9 a.m. Wednesday, and booths will include food, merchandise and arts and crafts. Vendors located in the armory will close at 7 p.m. and vendors located in the park will close at 9 p.m.
From 9:30 a.m. to noon, author Charles Anderson will hold a book-signing at the Historic Scurry County, Inc. booth in the armory. The booth will also feature authors J.L. Wright, Bernhard Bartels, Jean Littlepage Everett, Zane Sterling and T.M. Roe Patterson.
At 10 a.m. Wednesday, the annual Fourth of July parade will begin. The parade will follow its regular route, beginning at Moffett Field and heading southeast down Towle Park Road North. 
The parade will pass the skate park, the pool and splash pad and will follow the loop in front of the playground equipment near the former Prairie Dog Town. From there, it will turn right onto Towle Park Road, passing the pavilion and armory before ending at the youth baseball fields.
Parade line-up is at 9 a.m. at Moffett Field. There is no registration required to participate in the parade.
Also at 10 a.m., the Just Putt’n miniature golf course will open, hosting an all-day celebration. Part of 43rd Street will be blocked off where the course will provide $5 mini golf, water balloon fights, glow sticks and a spot to watch the fireworks show. 
A co-ed volleyball tournament will begin at 11 a.m. at the Towle Park volleyball courts. The cost is $100 per team with rosters of no more than eight players. Call Mike McWilliams at 575-6543 or Julie Bynum at 575-1634 to register. 
A washer pitching tournament will begin at noon on the west side of the Towle Park Pond. Registration will begin at 11 a.m., and the cost is $15 per player. Call Manny Rios at 436-9908 for more information.
The all-day celebration in the park will also feature performances by Studio 92 Dance, Stars R Us Gymnastics, Public Distrubanc, Los Texicanos and Jay Statham and the Tokies.
The annual fireworks show will begin at dark on the west side of Towle Park.
As visitors from near and far attend the Fourth of July celebration, the chamber emphasizes staying cool in the summer heat. Several vendors will pass out bottled water and popsicles throughout the day, and Chemplex LC will have a rest area directly east of the Towle Park pond.
The Snyder Chamber of Commerce will have an information booth located behind the Towle Park amphitheater.