Live music, a watermelon seed spitting contest and lots and lots of freshly fried fish with all the trimmings are all on tap as part of First United Methodist Church’s Annual Fourth of July Fish Fry and Community Celebration this Saturday. The family fun kicks off at 10 am. at Confederate Park with a children’s parade. All youngsters are encouraged to decorate their bikes, trikes, wagons (and themselves) and arrive at the park by 9:30 a.m.

“We really hope to have a good turn out for this parade and have lots of fun with the kids,” said Steve Davison of FUMC.

More entertainment for the youngsters will be provided through face painting, helium balloons, sidewalk chalk art, bean bag toss and their first ever watermelon seed spitting contest.

“Since the Watermelon Jubilee isn’t being held this year, we want to give everyone a chance to show off their seed-spitting skills,” Davison said.

Musical entertainment will be provided by the FUMC Praise and Worship Team, Diane Smith, Steven Norman and Andy McKeown.

“If you’d like to share your country gospel or patriotic songs with us, please bring your CDs or your instrument with you and join us,” said Davison.

Lunch, featuring fried, pond-raised catfish, bass, bream, red and white fish will be served starting at 11 a.m.

“We’ve got plenty of fish, ice-cold watermelon and more good food so we want the community to come out and support it. It’s all free,” Davison said.