There truly is nothing like a small-town Fourth of July celebration. Over the last few years, the Bryce Valley Prevention Coalition has become heavily involved in the Tropic Fourth of July activities, including hosting a fun and very competitive “Battle of the Families.”
Every year the Prevention Coalition does parade float kits, an ice cream social, and a talent show just before the Fourth.
Then there’s an event with a little bit of an edge to it: the Battle of the Families. This is a tournament of sorts with three waves of party games designed to give families, friends and work groups an opportunity for wholesome recreation. It is free to participate, but it requires registration ahead of time.
This year the battle began with a hot potato throw in round one, followed by a watermelon-eating contest. The final round was a water relay. The families chose one member of their team to participate in each event. The winning family was the Ahlstroms, closely followed by the Syretts, for the second year in a row.
This is the coalition’s third year doing the Battle of the Families and other Fourth of July events. Elaina Purcell, speaking for the coalition, is hoping they can make their Fourth of July activities a strong tradition.
In addition to the coalition events that day, Tropic Park was alive with the usual fundraising efforts. The cheerleaders sold snow cones to buy their uniforms and the 6th graders hosted games to raise money for Washington, DC.
The Bryce Valley High School junior class is known to use the event to raise funds for prom, selling delicious Navajo tacos, hamburgers and hot dogs cooked on-site. Most years, the funds pay for a good chunk of the dance’s decorations and venue!
– by Abbie Call, The Byway
Feature image caption: Parade float kits offered by the Bryce Valley Prevention Coalition. Courtesy of BVPC/Facebook.
Read about other local festivities in Circleville’s 4th of July celebrations by Ari Hurdsman.
Abbie Call – Cannonville/Kirksville, Missouri
Abbie Call is a journalist and editor at The Byway. She graduated in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in editing and publishing from Brigham Young University. Her favorite topics to write about include anything local, Utah’s megadrought, and mental health and meaning in life. In her free time, she enjoys reading, hanging out with family, quilting and hiking.
Find Abbie on Threads @abbieb.call or contact her at [email protected].