BRISTOL, TN/VA – The lingering COVID-19 pandemic has forced the community-driven Main Street organization Believe in Bristol to move Border Bash Summer Concert Series to a virtual platform and cancel the July 4th Star Spangled Celebration.
Following a successful Social Distancing Series through the months of April and May, Border Bash will continue on a virtual platform, an option Believe in Bristol will offer. To be streamed live at The Earnest Tube, a recording studio in Bristol, Va., the Bristol community will be able to tune into the Border Bash Facebook page for the concerts. A finalized schedule for these concerts will be posted on the Believe in Bristol website and social media accounts.
While Border Bash will still air via the new summer schedule, there will be no organized community gathering in downtown on Saturday, July 4th. All events, including the parade, music and activities in Cumberland Square Park, and community fireworks have been canceled. Believe in Bristol has been monitoring the situation since early March and due to the current health concerns of bringing large crowds together, the traditionally well-celebrated event will not be possible for 2020.
“It was a very tough decision, made with recommendations from our two cities and Sullivan County Health Department. Unfortunately, there is no way we can hold the event while practicing social distancing to keep the Bristol community safe,” stated Maggie Elliott, Believe in Bristol Executive Director. “We have to keep the health and wellbeing of the community at the forefront while making these decisions. Seeing other large public events being canceled across the region due to social distancing guidelines made it clear that we can no longer plan on the celebration taking place this July 4th.”
Celebrate Bristol formed in 2008 following the 2006 Bristol Sesquicentennial (150th Anniversary) in an effort to promote the Twin-Cities and encourage community pride. A group of volunteers headed the event and brought fireworks back to Historic Downtown Bristol as well as a slate of family-friendly events to celebrate America’s independence. The event later became a partnership between Celebrate Bristol and Believe in Bristol, including the sounds of Border Bash. Believe in Bristol took over the full community event in 2019. This is one of the largest single-day holiday celebrations for Bristol, attracting anywhere from 5,000 to 10,000 people to Historic Downtown Bristol.
The parade’s theme for 2020 was scheduled to celebrate the centennial of the women’s suffrage movement, including recognition through the parade marshal seat and in the opening of the parade.
“We hope that Bristol is able to find other ways to have a safe and spectacular 4th of July,” Elliott added. “We plan to make up for this year’s loss in 2021.”
Believe in Bristol would like to give a huge thank you to Eastman Credit Union for partnering as the premier sponsor for the series and helping make this year’s altered Border Bash possible for our community. Border Bash is hosted by Believe in Bristol and the Cities of Bristol. Sponsors in 2020 include Blackbird Bakery, Bristol Station Brews & Taproom, Ben and Anne Cowan, Food City Charitable Foundation, Dan Grogan and Melanie Fleenor, Karen Hester / Cranberry Lane, Mr. and Mrs. Randy Kennedy, Mercantile on State, Middle Fork Records, Rush and Lea Powers, The Bristol Hotel, The Earnest Tube, Tom and Barbara Smith and Dr. and Mrs. Sarfraz Zaidi.
For more information, visit www.believeinbristol.org.
