Roaring in to the 20s!

By Heather Wood

There is only one month left in 2019, not only does that mean this year is coming to an end, but it is also the end of the decade (that’s honestly so crazy to me). We are waving goodbye to the (terrible?) teens and welcoming the roaring 20s. With that in mind, I have come up with a list of things to do in 2020. Mark your calendars, it looks like a pretty exciting year ahead!

Father Daughter Dance

The year kicks off with one of the biggest events in Kernersville. On the morning of Monday, January 6 set your alarm, familiarize yourself with your log in and password, and purchase your tickets before they sell out! In 2018, we sold 625 tickets in less than 24 hours.

The annual Father Daughter Dance is a fun-filled event for daughters of all ages. This is a fun event intended to dance the night away, create lasting memories, and strengthen family bonds. Each year is unique as it offers different themes. Our staff spends countless hours organizing, crafting, decorating, and putting the finishing touches on the event every year to make it perfect. The 2020 dance is titled “Under the Sea” and will be held on Saturday, February 8 from 6:00-8:30pm. 

Mother & Son Challenge

Due to the success of the Father Daughter Dance, we have received overwhelming requests for an event for mothers and sons. Kernersville Parks and Recreation happily presents the first “Mother & Son Challenge.” An evening mothers and sons can enjoy, with memories of laughter and fun as they compete to see who the most dynamic duo is. Who is up for the challenge? Our staff is definitely up for the challenge when it comes to meeting the needs of our community. We want to offer a well-balanced array of programs and events that all can enjoy. Final details are being confirmed, event details will be announced after the first of the year. This event will be held in March 2020.

Carnaval de Kernersville

In its third year, Carnaval de Kernersville encourages cultural awareness and understanding as well as celebrating the Latino culture in Kernersville. Carnaval displays the music, dance, food and the heritage of the Latino culture that hail from the Caribbean as well as Central and South America. Kernersville Parks and Recreation enjoys working with local high school clubs, authentic vendors, performers, and businesses. Ernie Pages, Director of Kernersville Parks and Recreation stated, “The Town wants to become a multicultural community. In order to achieve this we have to celebrate the individual cultures among us. This will create cultural pride and cultural education.” The date is set for Saturday, May 16 in Fourth of July Park.

Summer Movies in the Park Series

We are excited to bring families together and unite as a community for a free and fun way to spend quality time outdoors. All movies chosen are family friendly and rated PG for all ages. The Summer Movies in the Park Series runs the third Friday of each month in May, June, July and September. To accommodate this growing event for attendees and vendors, we upgraded our movie screen last year. Harmon Park is the perfect location with the large open green space and its accessibility to available parking in downtown.  

National Night Out

Last year the Kernersville Police Department approached Kernersville Parks and Recreation and the Kernersville Fire Department to expand National Night Out. With everyone’s assistance the event moved to Ivey M. Redmon Sports Complex, added food trucks, a live band and vendors. The community embraced the change with open arms and was a huge success. National Night Out’s purpose is to enhance the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community. Furthermore, it provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. All of these departments help to build our community into what we have today, so why not celebrate together? This event will take place again the first week of August.

The Honeybee Festival

A long-held tradition in Kernersville, the Honeybee Festival is in its 45th year. The festival offers 100+ authentic craft vendors and attracts thousands of spectators. There are food trucks, games, crafts, live music, live demonstrations, and amusement rides! This event celebrates the accomplishments of the late Brady Mullinax in making the honeybee our state insect. This event will take place Saturday, August 15.  

Pumpkin Run

Gather up the family for this exciting fall event! All ages are invited to walk or run the exciting Pumpkin Run 5K or 1-mile course starting at Fourth of July, promoting health and fitness while having fun. Participants are encouraged to come in costume for this festive event. The annual Pumpkin Run features music, kid’s activities, and costume contest for adults, children and dogs, prizes and pumpkins! This event will happen Saturday, October 17.

Christmas Tree Lighting

Join us for Kernersville’s Kick-Off Weekend to the holiday season. What is a holiday season without a visit to Harmon Park with Santa and friends! We will sing carols, sip on hot cocoa, eat doughnuts, and best of all light the tree. This long standing tradition began with the Pierce family and continues to be a heartwarming holiday memory.

Kernersville’s Christmas Land

New to Kernersville 2020, Kernersville’s Christmas Land will be a 2-day holiday weekend event that you do not want to miss! Complete with amusement rides, dazzling light displays, festive Christmas music, delicious food, and Santa’s village suited for the entire family. The event dates are Friday and Saturday December 18 and 19. The event’s location will be at Ivey M. Redmon Sports Complex. The cross country track will be transformed into a magnificent light display. More information will follow as we get closer to the end of next year. Our staff is very excited about this event as many know Christmas time in Kernersville is pretty magical.  

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