Come out to The Colony Five Star Complex on Saturday, Nov. 11, to celebrate our veterans with a whole day of fun, food, music and fireworks!
“We have worked really hard to make the 10th anniversary of our American Heroes festival really special,” said Lindsey Stansell, Special Events Coordinator. “It all starts with the selection of our musical performances, and I think we really hit it out of the park with the selection of our headliner, the Oak Ridge Boys.”
The Oak Ridge Boys are set to perform on the American Heroes main stage at 6:30 p.m., but they aren’t the only music to be heard that day. Texas Country favorite Cooder Graw is scheduled at 1:30 p.m., and legendary country star Sammy Kershaw hits the stage at 4 p.m. Tickets are not necessary for these concerts as the festival is a FREE event.
Joe Bonsall has sung tenor for The Oak Ridge Boys for the past 30 years. Bonsall has a special connection to Veterans Day, as both of his parents were veterans of World War II. His father, Joseph Sloan Bonsall, Sr., received the Bronze Star Medal for valor, a Silver Star Medal and a Purple Heart for injuries he sustained on D-Day. The younger Bonsall paid tribute to his parents in a song and a book he wrote entitled, “G.I. Joe and Lilly.”
Bonsall is excited to perform at the American Heroes festival, which is dedicated to veterans. “It’s going to be a great night of entertainment for the whole family – lots of big hits that you all know, and we will be singing some gospel and waving the flag. It’s going to be a great night,” Bonsall said.
Music isn’t the only thing happening at the festival, according to Recreation Manager David Swain.
“American Heroes is a daylong event, starting at 8 a.m. with our American Hero Run. After that, we have all kinds of family friendly events planned to celebrate the day including a carnival, car show, vendor expo, silent auction, veterans ceremonies, and a grand finale fireworks extravaganza,” Swain said.
Proceeds from this year’s silent auction benefit the American Heroes festival as well as two veterans’ organizations. One of those organizations is 22KILL, a non-profit that works to raise awareness of the veteran suicide epidemic and educate the public on PTS and other mental health issues. The other beneficiary, Operation Comfort Warriors, is a program of the American Legion that is dedicated to meeting the needs of wounded, injured or ill military personnel by providing them with comfort items not usually supplied by the government.
“We plan all kinds of event throughout the year,” Swain said. “But American Heroes has a very special meaning to so many people. It is really fulfilling to be part of such a great event. You may not be a veteran yourself, but everyone either has a family member, friend or loved one who is a veteran. This event is a great opportunity to say thank you to those folks for the sacrifice they made by serving this country.”
For additional information regarding the American Heroes festival you can visit the event website at www.SaluteAmericanHeroes.com or contact Swain at [email protected], 972-624-3959.