VALLEY GRANDE — Valley Grande city officials decided to plan their Independence Day Celebration four days prior to the national holiday to not overlap with Selma’s festivities and to allow those working the event to be able to spend the holiday with their families.

Valley Grande Mayor Tom Lee said he felt it was important the city’s event, slated for Saturday, June 30 at the walking trail on Springvalley Road, didn’t conflict Selma’s plans for the Fourth of July.

“Since [Selma Mayor George Evans] has been in office, we’ve tried to put our celebrations separate from Selma’s events,” Lee said. “That way everybody has an option of where they want to go, or they can do both. Ours is a lot like a carnival, the Selma one is a bit more formal, and so you really get a lot more variety throughout the whole county. It just didn’t seem right for us to be right on top of theirs.”

The celebration kicks off at 3:15 p.m. with a rib-off, where contestants will be judged on their rib-cooking abilities. For $20, anyone with a grill can enter by calling City Hall and completing an entry form. The top three finishers will receive a cash prize.

Children with decorated bicycles, tricycles, wagons and strollers will begin lining up for the kid’s parade beginning at 4:45 p.m., with the parade set to begin around 5 p.m.

The celebration will also feature carnival-themed games, including a dart throw, frog hop, football toss and dunking booth, as well as carnival-themed food selection, such as corn dogs and funnel cakes.

“We do this to see smiles on people’s faces,” city councilwoman Donna Downs said. “People bring their lounge chairs and sit around and talk. It’s just like a big family get-together. And you have children running around and playing games. It’s always a fun time.”

The fireworks show will start at 9 p.m. and will be choreographed to patriotic music. Downs said she expects more than 1,100 people to attend the event, noting that she’d estimate last year’s celebration drew 3,000-plus.

“[I hope everyone leaves feeling] proud to be American,” Downs said. “It’s just wonderful that everyone can come together, catch up and have a great time.”