By MADOLINE MARKHAM
Everyone in Homewood will come out to play at Homewood Central Park and Community Center on May 5 for the annual We Love Homewood Day festivities.
“We have always gone because we like the way it brings the community together,” Hollywood resident Tammy Stone said. “We see friends from other schools. It makes us realize how much we love our community.”
The evening street dance in Edgewood featuring The Shadowboxers will be longer this year by popular demand. Also new this year, a $15 wristband will provide unlimited access to rides. Individual tickets will also be for sale for 50 cents each; some rides require up to five tickets. This will also be the second year for the Spirit Scamper run, which starts at Homewood High School at 7:30 a.m.
“We love that at We Love Homewood Day we get to see so many people who we don’t get to see other times in the year,” said Cindy Wade, a Re/Max realtor who moved to Homewood in 1969. “It’s a major gathering for current residents and anyone who has ever lived in Homewood. Most people sit there for hours and talk to people.”
Each year the festivities feature rides and inflatables, an arts and crafts and vendor expo, barbecue by the West Homewood Lions Club, a Rotary bake sale and sidewalk chalk expo, a silent auction and live entertainment.
The stage in the park will feature a dance exhibition at 10 a.m., local band The Hearts at 11 a.m., a pep rally with the Homewood High School band at 1 p.m. and local band The Perishables at 2 p.m.
The climax of the day is the parade of the high school band, cheerleaders and all kinds of vehicles and floats who proceed from the Homewood Library to Edgewood starting at 6 p.m.
“The parade is the most fun part to me,” said Rusty Holley of Homewood Parks and Recreation. “I remember riding in the parade one year, and we saw as we topped the hill at Trinity United Methodist the whole area was solid people. It was neat to see.”
Wade agreed: “I love a parade! I think it’s exciting. It’s mostly businesses and groups related to Homewood, so you get to see more people.”
For more information on We Love Homewood Day, visit homewoodparks.com/special-events/we-love-homewood-day or contact Rusty Holley at 332-6705 or rusty.holley@homewoodal.org.
We Love Homewood Day Schedule
7:30 a.m.- Spirit Scamper 5K / 10K / 1 Mile Fun Run, Homewood High School 10 a.m.-5 p.m.– Spring in the Park Festival 10 a.m.-4 p.m.- Vendor Business Expo, Homewood Central Park
10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.- West Homewood Lions BBQ Fundraiser, Homewood Community Center Auditorium
6 p.m.– We Love Homewood Day Parade, route from the library to Edgewood 7-9:30 p.m.- We Love Homewood Day Street Dance, Edgewood Business District
The Homewood Star 