As Fourth of July celebrations are being planned all over southcentral Kentucky, the two biggest are right here in Bowling Green.

The oldest – National City ThunderFest – has been going strong for 35 years, drawing more than 20,000 annually in the recent years it has been held at the National Corvette Museum Amphitheater.

&#8220It’s one of the largest (fireworks shows) in the southeast,” said Kevin Mays, community president for National City Bank, which is sponsoring the fireworks show for the first time this year.

This year’s ThunderFest – a project of the Kiwanis Club – is Saturday. Gates open at 3 p.m., when children’s activities will also start and run until the fireworks begin at 9:30 p.m. Tethered hot air balloon rides begin at 7 p.m.

Live music by Lindsey Lee, Don Thomason, Derek Lawrence and Andrea Guess starts at 5 p.m. and lasts until the fireworks start. The music begins again after the fireworks end and continues for about an hour and a half so people can enjoy the show longer if they don’t want to fight the traffic leaving the amphitheater.

Tickets at the door of the event are $5 a person or $15 a car load.

Mays said National City is happy to sponsor the fireworks because the Kiwanis’ goal with ThunderFest &#8220is to raise money for the underserved children of Bowling Green and Warren County.”

He added that he was impressed that J.B. Distributors – which sells Budweiser – would sponsor the music at ThunderFest, where no alcohol or coolers are allowed.

&#8220They so much believe in the purpose of this that they’re willing to sponsor the stage and have no alcohol sold at this event,” he said.

Brian &#8220Slim” Nash, chairman of ThunderFest, said he is pleased both sponsors would take on the ThunderFest mission.

Last year, the Kiwanis raised more than $20,000 through the event.

&#8220I think it’s worth the fee to come in for $5 per person or 15 a carload,” Nash said. &#8220I think there’s a feeling of, ‘I’m not just giving my money to an organization for putting on a show. I’m giving my money to children’s charities throughout the year.’ ”

Money the Kiwanis club has raised through ThunderFest has helped a hearing-impaired program at Natcher Elementary School, local schools’ family resource centers, Girl Scouts and much more, according to Nash.

In case of rain, the event will be Sunday.

Additional sponsors include NBC-40, 103.7 (The Point), Bowling Green Printing, Booth Fire $ Safety, Signature Signs, Insight and SAM-FM.

For more information, call Nash at 392-0776.

If you’re interested in attending a fireworks show and concert on Independence Day in Bowling Green, you can do that Tuesday when the Bowling Green Chamber Orchestra performs a concert of patriotic music near the Guthrie Bell Tower at Western Kentucky University during the second annual Star Spangled Spectacular.

The grounds open at 6 p.m.

The concert, which will feature solo work by opera singer Dan Snyder and singers from groups including the Bowling Green Chamber Singers, First Baptist Church, Living Hope Baptist Church and Russellville’s deGraffenreid Chorale, starts at 8 p.m.

Janet Bass Smith, who does publicity for the chamber orchestra, said the event will &#8220be a big success.”

&#8220I think last year they estimated we had more than 10,000 people,” she said.

Jeff Reed, conductor of the orchestra, said a crowd &#8220can expect 70 to 75 minutes of the best patriotic music ever written, plus a magnificent fireworks display over the sky of the WKU campus.”

According to Reed, the concert will be &#8220just a very family-oriented evening in celebration of our nation’s birth. We’ll play things like ‘God Bless America,’ ‘America the Beautiful,’ ‘The Battle Hymn of the Republic,’ and we’re also honoring veterans and current service men and women by playing a medley of service songs.”

The war dead will be remembered when the orchestra plays &#8220Hymn to the Fallen” from &#8220Saving Private Ryan.”

A segment of baseball music will be &#8220certainly Americana” and will include the orchestra and actor Andy Stahl, who has a home in Butler County and had roles in &#8220The Patriot” and &#8220Glory Road,” reading the poem &#8220Casey at the Bat,” according to Reed.

The orchestra will hit on another decidedly American note while performing the theme to the Western &#8220The Magnificent Seven.”

The concert, which also includes a performance of Lee Greenwood’s &#8220Proud to Be an American” and much more, wraps up with fireworks and performances of &#82201812 Overture” and &#8220Stars and Stripes Forever.”

Reed said a crowd will love the snap, crackle and pop of fireworks.

&#8220We have doubled the fireworks from last year, so they’ll be stupendous,” he said.

Last year was the first time the chamber orchestra did a big Fourth of July concert, and when a conducting Reed turned around for the first time and saw people as far away as he could see, he said, he was blown away.

Reed said he thinks it’s wonderful that Bowling Green can have both ThunderFest and the chamber orchestra event to celebrate our country’s freedom.

&#8220They have rock bands and fireworks and ours is patriotic music with little fireworks,” Reed said. &#8220We feel like they complement each other. … Can you have too many Independence Day events? I don’t think so.”

Aramark will sell hot dogs, hamburgers and more at the chamber orchestra concert and Chaney’s Dairy Barn will sell ice cream, but the public is invited to bring their own picnics – along with coolers, lawn chairs and blankets – if they wish. Alcohol, however, is not allowed on Western’s campus, and grills are not allowed at the concert.

While the event is free, reserved tickets for tables that seat eight people will be sold for $500 each to help pay for the event.

The evening is sponsored by Trace Die Cast, Carol and Denny Wedge and Jim Johnson Pontiac-Nissan-Hyundai.

It is co-sponsored by Citizens First Bank, Warren Rural Electric Cooperative Corp., Eastern Kentucky Power, Gerald Printing, G.H. Tool and Mold, Meyer Mortgage, and Reynolds Johnston Hinton & Pepper LLP, with additional support from Aleris International, Alliance Corp., Audubon Metals LLC, Best Business Systems, BG Rubber and Gasket, BGMU, Buhler Inc., Consolidated Electrical Distributors, Daily News, Insight Communications, M & L Electrical, Meredith Machinery, Metal Conversions and WBKO-TV.

Others who helped with the event include Schaefer Group/Todd Richardson Advertising, Old National Bank, National City Bank, GW Smith and Sons, Care Safety, MSC Industrial Supply Co., Epp-Mar Metal Co., Midvale Industries Inc. and Dave’s Printing.

For more information or to reserve a table for the chamber orchestra concert, call 846-2426. There is no rain date for the event, which will be held except if there are severe storms.

Other activities to celebrate Independence Day around southcentral Kentucky include:

• Fireworks in the Park, presented by Franklin-Simpson Parks and Recreation. This event is Friday and features live music by Blue Highway, children’s games and activities sponsored by Providence Baptist Church, concessions, a water slide and inflatables. Gates open at 5 p.m. The music starts an hour later. The fireworks presentation begins at 9 p.m. The event is sponsored by Harman Becker Automotive Systems, Simpson County Vietnam Veterans and Integra Bank. Admission is $5 per car load. In case of rain, the event will be July 7.
• Community Celebration God Bless America at White Plains Baptist Church in Allen County kicks off at 7 p.m. Friday and includes an evening of free fireworks, popcorn, watermelon, hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, cookies, gifts for kids, a moonwalk, peek-a-boo for little children, King Kong adventure, bungee, power jump and more. Free entertainment by the Wolfe Brothers and church youth is from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The free food is served from 7:15 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The free fireworks start at 9 p.m. The public is encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets. Parking is available.
• Barren River State Resort Park has a family-oriented celebration Saturday through Tuesday. The celebration offers a variety of recreational activities and entertainment. There will be a campsite decorating contest, a non-motorized parade, volleyball, holiday-related crafts and other &#8220sparkling” activities leading up to a beach party on Tuesday, followed by the sounds of The Starr Mountain Band and then the fireworks display, which are at 9 p.m. For more information, call (800) 325-0057.
• Crossroads the Church at Logan on Saturday hosts an &#8220In God we Trust, Not Just a Motto but a Lifestyle” Freedom Festival at the church campus at the corner of Terry Wilcutt Highway and U.S. 68-Ky. 80 bypass in Russellville next to City-County Park. This is a community-wide event, which begins at 5 p.m. and includes a walking parade, in which everyone will participate. A fireworks display will start at dark. Any church choir, creative arts ministry or gospel group that wants to be part of the event should contact the church office at (270) 726-1400 or (270) 726-2511.
• The Franklin-Simpson Renaissance July Jam on Saturday features The Farewell Drifters playing bluegrass on the Simpson County Courthouse bandstand from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., followed by a performance of music from the ’50s and ’60s by Steve Jarrell and Sons of the Beach. A pie baking contest and children’s inflatable games will be during the contest. A &#8220Firecracker 100” kiddie parade is downtown on the square at 7 p.m. Children up to 6 years old are encouraged to decorate their tricycles, wagons and more in patriotic colors and to join Broadway the Clown in the parade. All entries must be decorated. Only non-motorized units will be allowed. Battery-powered entries are acceptable. Registration and photographs for the event is from 6 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. Registration forms are available at the local Chamber of Commerce, Pistols & Petticoats, Moore Drug Co. and the Franklin Favorite. The event will be rain or shine but may be delayed a bit in case of a huge downpour. For more information, call (270) 586-8482.
• The seventh annual Fourth of July Concert on the square in Glasgow on Saturday features the Louisville Orchestra and the Master’s Men Chorale from Southeast Christian Church in Louisville. It begins at 7 p.m. Food and drinks will be sold during the show, in which the public is also invited to bring food, lawn chairs and blankets. Programs will be handed out. The event is free and organized by the Glasgow-Barren County Community Foundation, with sponsorship from area businesses. The event will go on rain or shine. For more information, call (270) 651-3161.
• Victory Hill Ministries at 9848 Bowling Green Road in Scottsville is hosting a free Independence Day service beginning at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Fireworks are at dark. The entertainment includes special music by The Sullivans, a drama titled &#8220Wake Up, America!” by the Nu-Vizion drama team and more. Bowling Green Police Chief Bill Waltrip will give the invocation and the Bowling Green Fire Department Honor Guard will present the flag. The church is honoring all those who have served or are presently serving in the armed forces, police officers, firefighters, government officials and pastors. The public is invited to bring lawn chairs or blankets. For more information, call (270) 622-8133.
• Fireworks at twilight are Tuesday at the City Park in Morgantown as part of the annual Green River Catfish Festival. For more information, call (270) 526-6827.
• Wild Country dance hall is throwing its first free July Fourth Celebration from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. in downtown Auburn on Tuesday. U.S. Hwy. 68 through Auburn., from Caldwell Street to Pearl Street, is closed from for the event. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., karaoke will be performed. From 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., the Fifth Street Rejects, Phil Billy and Friends and Richard Burris will perform live music. A line dancing show featuring dance students of all ages from Wild Country begins at 5:30 p.m. A small performance of advanced line dancers starts between 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. The Wild Country house band, Country Wildfire, perform after the dancing. Throughout the day, there will be a dunking booth and face painting. Food will be sold, prizes, including country music concert tickets and Fender guitars will be given away and free booth rentals for things other than food are available. The event will go on rain or shine. For more information, call Debbie Burris at (270) 670-8161.