SNAP, CRACKLE & POP

It’s JULY 1st and preparations are in full swing for the upcoming 4th of JULY CELEBRATION!!! Payson Parks and Recreation is busy chitchatting about the celebration on the radio, designing ads for the local newspaper, and updating internet posts on the Town’s website. Working for a town Parks and Recreation Department requires employees to sacrifice their own celebrations on selected Holidays. A Holiday, such as the 4th of July, demands each and every employee to work long and hard hours. The preparation and participation needed to ensure an old-fashioned, small-town celebration for the Town requires the total commitment of the staff. The Town of Payson is no different from other towns in their desire to create the perfect family oriented celebration honoring our Nation’s Independence. Payson has the added responsibility of creating a celebration for the huge crowds of ‘flatlanders’ who invade this rural town at the foot of the Mogollon Rim. Thousands of visitors from the Valley of the Sun escape the heat of the valley and take a road trip up the mountain to this pristine small town. The temperature in the Phoenix area averages 106 degrees F during the day and 88 degrees F at night. Payson temperatures run a good 15 degrees cooler with 90 degrees F daytime and a 63 degree F nighttime temperature predicted for the 4th of July.
The influx of people is a big economic boost to the town. Numerous visitors stay overnight in the local hotels, eat at the many restaurants, and shop in the stores throughout town. I believe Payson has successfully put together an outstanding list of activities and events to be enjoyed throughout the day. The highlight of the celebration being the nighttime fireworks display over the three man-made lakes in the center of town.
Activities blast off at 8am with a remembrance of our freedom during a Flag Raising Ceremony taking place at the Veterans Memorial in the park. A Star Studded Parade will follow the ceremony down Ole Main Street at 9am. The parade is open to everybody in the family, including pets, adorned in red, white, and blue costumes. The parade route takes you down Main Street which is decorated with the American Flag displayed on every lamppost. Community members are encouraged to decorate bikes, wagons, ATVs, the old truck and even the family car to join in the fun. Hand held flags will be provided to spectators and parade participants so everyone can wave the flag proudly. After the parade, Main Street transforms into a carnival. Everyone from 10am to 2pm will enjoy games for all ages.
As an intern with the Parks and Recreation Department my responsibilities include constructing the Town’s booth for the event. This small pavilion will act as our information/command post. It is my job to help man and operate the booth throughout the day and into the night. It is here that one will find First Aide treatment, lost and found items, as well as other services as needed. The musical groups, Gypsy Juke Rockers and Johnny Anonymous, will take the center stage from 4pm to 9pm. FIREWORKS will light up the sky, reflecting off the waters of the lakes, to the cheers of the crowd starting at 9pm. The preparation needed to put on this event is extensive. Phone calls had to be made for vendors, the media, and to the many volunteers needed to help with the event. The office staff responded to numerous phone calls coming into the Parks office for information, directions, as well as fielding hundreds of questions concerning the 4th of July celebration. My internship here in Payson has given me the insight into planning and organizing a non-recreational event. Because the Town of Payson has merged the Tourism Department with the Parks and Recreation Department, I was allowed this opportunity to see how both departments can work hand-n-hand towards a common goal. This community wide event, the celebration of the 4th of July Holiday, will be spectacular with the efforts of both departments working side by side.