By David Rogers. BLOWING ROCK, N.C. — Uncle Sam had center stage down Main Street on July 6, but he shared the spotlight with a wide assortment of characters (and caricatures).
BONUS PHOTOS @ Bottom (click on any image for full size viewing in Slide Show mode)
Of course it was the annual “4th of July” Parade (always held on the holiday weekend’s Saturday) and it may well have been the longest in recent memory in terms of the number of entries. Even at 10 a.m., the gathered throngs (estimated at 10,000, but who counted?) lining the sidewalks and intersections 20 or more deep in some sections — from the starting turn from U.S. 221, Mellow Mushroom and Speckled Trout, all the way down to St. Mary of the Hills and Rumple Memorial Presbyterian churches — well, they were celebrating America with red, white and blue adornments aplenty.
There were at least two Elvis sightings, colorful clowns, what emcee Tracy Brown described as a 1970s bicycle trickster, Barbie dolls, and movie stars (a Tom “Top Gun” Cruise impersonator among them).
For those frustrated (or infuriated) by the current choices for President, a new candidate declared himself in the Blowing Rock 4th of July Parade: Bigfoot, sure to be a welcome alternative for many while showing the world we can laugh at ourselves.
It turns out The Grinch is rethinking his disdain for Christmas. He and several Grinch-looking offspring (the DNA just doesn’t lie) pointed to signs bearing the message, “171 shopping days left before Christmas.” Grinch even had emcee Tracy Brown read a heartfelt poem!
Wallace Propane had TWO trucks in their parade entry, one clearly decked out for the occasion, fully covered in red, white and blue stars and stripes.
There was not one, not two, not three… but FOUR airplanes flying overhead, buzzing Main Street singly several times as well as in formation. Luckily, they avoided the drone cruising over Main Street, too.
Tiger Woods, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McElroy made an appearance — OK, it wasn’t really them but small, dressed up canines with golf apparel, being led along by “caddies” bearing the golf superstars’ names. And, of course, the whole parade entry was fronted by middle-aged and elderly men in a golf cart bearing a sign, “Tournament Officials.”
It was all great fun.
Older motor vehicles, even some vintage ones, chugged down Main Street, too, including a 1960 Chevrolet truck, a 70s era Volkswagen, a Sunbeam convertible, an English ancient (make and model unknown), and more, more, more. One of our favorites was the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce entry, with soon-to-retire CEO Charles Hardin being ferried down Main Street in a souped-up “hot rod,” looking ready to take on North Wilkesboro Speedway, if not a local dragstrip.
Up for raffle by App State Sports was an App-branded Jeep Rubicon, with only 4,000 tickets to be sold at $100 each. The lucky winner is sure to be the envy of every tailgater at The Rock.
Did we mention the politicians out in abundance? It is an election year, after all. We saw County Commissioner candidates Ronnie Marsh, Todd Castle, Braxton Eggers and Charlie Wallin. Blowing Rock Town Council was represented by Cat Perry, Pete Gherini, and Melissa Pickett, as well as Mayor Charlie Sellers and wife Deatra among the leaders of the procession, chauffeured by Town Manager Shane Fox. The Council maybe should have sent out a public notice for a meeting because Mayor Pro-Tem Doug Matheson was helping with crowd control at his usual spot each year, at the Main Street-Laurel Lane intersection.
North Carolina House Representative Ray Pickett, one of Blowing Rock’s own, rumbled down the thoroughfare, waving to the crowds.
While we missed hearing a marching band this year, there was still entertainment. At separate ends of the parade, High Country Cloggers and SOLE Impact dance studios each had a large contingent of spritely performers, young and older.
And there were lots and lots of organizations and companies with a message: Speckled Trout Outfitters, ready to take you on an adventure; Blowing Rock Women’s Club, which awarded over $100,000 in college scholarships this past year to graduates of Watauga High School thanks to community contributions and sales at Village Thrift; Chick-fil-A, whose local owners Teresa and Scott Fogleman are active community supporters; Blowing Rock Garden Club, the host of “Mile of Flowers” on June 27, 2025; Women Who Wine at Sunset and Vine (pretty much self-explanatory); the Faithbridge Church band (featuring former WHS athletic director Tom Wright on the drums); the new Transformation Church and a tagline of “Help Hope Healing”); Sugar Mountain Resort (“the sweetest place to ski is at Sugar”); 4 Forty Four Construction, moving soon to a new home office on an historic Blowing Rock property; the cast of Horn in the West danced and sang; and more.
One of the most touching highlights of the parade was the anniversary celebration of Homer and Barbara Ketchie’s marriage 70 years ago. Organized by their family members as a surprise parade entry this year, the couple looked more like King and Queen in the backseat of a convertible, “Just Married (70 years ago)” emblazoned on the side of the car and strings of tin cans scraping along the asphalt, trailing behind them.
A chilling reminder of the world we live in these days: the presence of law enforcement officers on a Sunset and Main rooftop, wielding rifles as well as binoculars — just in case.
On the surface, we may have divided loyalties when it comes to politics but as evidence in Blowing Rock on July 6, we are unified by a love for our country and the way of life it facilitates.
BONUS PHOTOS
(for best viewing, click on any image for full size in Slide Show mode)
