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On July 4, Milton becomes Mayberry
The Milton Lions Club train is a staple at any town event in Memorial Park. RYAN MAVITY PHOTOS
July 5, 2022
On a hot summer day, Milton decided to take a trip to the past with an afternoon of family fun at the annual Bring Mayberry Back to Milton event July 4.
A celebration of old-school town fairs, the event is geared toward kids, with a selection of old-fashioned games like ball toss, spin the wheel and rubber duck matching. A dunk tank is also set up, where throwers can attempt to dunk members of the Milton Fire Department. The afternoon also featured a patriotic bike parade, where kids ride bikes from Irish Eyes into Memorial Park.
And since this is Memorial Park, kids lined up to take a ride on the mini-train, sponsored by Milton Lions Club, that runs through the park and piloted on this day by Jim Coverdale.
Johnny Hopkins of Milton Fire Department prepares to get wet in the dunk tank.
Kids are certainly curious at the Frantic Frets booth, where Lucy Fisher gets a theremin tutorial from Frantic Frets co-owner Al “Frantic” Knight. The theremin is unique among musical instruments in that the performer does not make physical contact with it. The theremin has two antennae – one for pitch and one for volume – and the performer can make the instrument louder or higher-pitched by moving their hands between the two antennae.
Liz Fillingame, left, and her daughter, Reece, 3, play the duck-matching game.
Elena Arce, 7, plays the Tin Pan Alley game, where she tries to toss balls into either a red or blue hole. If they matched, she wins a prize.
The bike parade kicks off from Irish Eyes.
Nellie Rae, 2, rides in the bike parade.
It wasn’t just humans who came to have fun; Bring Mayberry Back also saw plenty of four-legged friends in attendance, including Maggie, a 10-week-old Great Pyrenees puppy.
While there were plenty of games to be played, kids also keep it simple by riding Milton Memorial Park’s merry-go-round.
Kids may be the focus, but Bring Mayberry Back is still a Fourth of July festival, and Charlene Jones, left, and Linda Doherty, made sure to wear their patriotic best.
