Citizens Bank Hosts ‘Celebrate America’ in Riverside Park on Sunday, July 4
BATESVILLE, Ark. (June 28, 2021) – Celebrate America, the annual Fourth of July celebration of our nation’s founding, will be hosted by Citizens Bank for the 24th consecutive year on Sunday, July 4, at Riverside Park in Batesville.
A full day of fun, giveaways and live music is scheduled along the banks of the White River in the park. The day will kick off with the Experience Independence 5K run at 7:30 a.m. with live entertainment beginning at 4:30 p.m. opening with the Batesville Brass Society. Enjoy live music all night long with performances including the “The Star-Spangled Banner” performed by Megan Watson, and sets from Garett Duncan, Dixon Street and Jaded.
The Celebrate America festivities will have a big finish with one of the region’s premier fireworks displays, beginning at 9:15 p.m.
“Citizens Bank is excited to host our 24th annual Independence Day celebration for families and friends to gather in our community for a day of fun,” said Micah Beard, Citizens Bank regional president of north central Arkansas market. “We are thankful for the ongoing support and generosity of our sponsors who help make this celebration possible, including White River Now, The Batesville Daily Guard, Bad Boy Mowers and White River Health System.”
Additional Celebrate America sponsors include Aerotech Machine Corp, Amy Beth Anderson/Vernon Company, Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce, Batesville Poultry, CADM Architecture, Inc., City of Batesville, Colton’s Steakhouse & Grill, Flowers Bakery, Future Fuel, Greenway Equipment, Harps, Hatcher Agency, Life Plus, Littlefield Oil Company, Mark Martin Ford/Mark Martin Kia, Ozark Information Services, Peco Foods, Precise Heating, Air & Electrical, Rawk Imprinting, Sonic, Spartan Mowers/Mark Martin Power Sports, Strategic Companies, The Hampton Inn & Suites, The Home Depot, The Smotherman Family, UACCB, Walmart, and Wade’s Heating, Air Conditioning & Electric.
For more information about Citizens Bank and its community focus, visit TheCitizensBank.
Cathy Drew is a lifelong resident of the region that she loves to promote. She was born in downtown Batesville in the late ’60s, located in one of the eight counties she now enjoys encouraging people to visit.
Drew became associated with the Ozark Gateway Region in 1990 while working at the ad agency (The Media Market Inc.). The agency handled marketing for the regional association, where she and her co-workers produced an annual tabloid publication. She began working as the Ozark Gateway Region director in June 2000.
After Drew became director, she took the region to the next level by helping the tourism organization create a new website and moved it from the old newspaper paper tabloid publication to a color magazine format. She helped open a visitor center for the Ozark Gateway, allowing visitors to pick up information from the entire state 24/7. Over the years, Drew has helped the organization meet new marketing goals, such as in- and out-of-state marketing, assuring that all 100,000 copies of their magazines are distributed each year.
In 2016, she assisted in creating the first Ozark Gateway Region Golf Classic. The tournament continues to grow each year, allowing the organization to expand its co-op program and helping each county have dedicated promotion. Drew stays busy at Ozark Gateway as the ad sales manager, magazine editor, day-to-day office operations, trade show representative, and magazine distribution representative, all while ensuring that the region is represented all over Arkansas and southern Missouri.
Drew was featured in several local and statewide publications over the years, as well as the 1997 cover of the Ozark Gateway Region tabloid, along with her then 4-year-old son, Jon. She has received several awards, such as the Batesville Rotarian of the Year in 2010 and a three-time Paul Harris Fellow.
She also has served as an Independence County election commissioner for several years. She now serves as their co-election coordinator, helping with behind-the-scenes management of voting equipment, day-to-day election deadlines, and poll worker training.
Drew serves on the Arkansas Travel Council Board of Directors, is Batesville Rotary Club Past President, and is the Rotary Clubs’ current publicity chair.
In March of 2018, Drew was honored with induction into the Arkansas Tourism Hall of Fame for her many years of dedicated service to the tourism industry.