Oak Ridge, Tenn. – (June 08, 2010) –If you’re wondering what you can see at the Secret City Festival this year that you haven’t seen before, here’s a quick look at all the new and exciting events and activities you can take part in June 18 – 19 at AK Bissell Park.
A new addition to the festival this year will be a Youth Area, with a Water Slide, Climbing Wall, DJ/Karaoke, Obstacle Cource, Bouncy Boxing, Football Toss, Jousting, Quarterback Attack, and the ever-popular Euro-Bungy. A zip line, sponsored and run by the Oak Ridge Fire Department, will offer a birds-eye view of the Youth Area. This area will be located near the American Museum of Science & Energy (AMSE). Speaking of which, AMSE will be featuring a special $1 admission the Friday and Saturday of the festival, so festival folks can venture up the sidewalk or hop a ride aboard the free festival shuttle and tour the exciting exhibits, including the newly renovated 1940’s Flat Top house and a traveling exhibit on Snoopy as the WWI Flying Ace.
For those of you who are looking for some great tunes to groove to, there are still tickets available for the Tribute Night on Friday evening, sponsored by Pro2Serve and CROET, and Chubby Checker, with opening act The Atomic Horns, will take the stage Saturday night, sponsored by Wackenhut and NetGain.
The Tribute Night will feature Daryl Stuermer-Genesis Rewired, Break on Though-A Tribute to the Doors, and Tres Hombres, a ZZ Top Tribute Band. Put your dancing shoes on and get ready to find your rhythm!
Individual concert tickets will be $15.00 each after June 12. Early bird sales are $12 until then and can be ordered online at SecretCityFestival.com or by calling 482-4432.
Free entertainment will take place throughout the weekend at the Pavilion Stage, sponsored by Pilot Travel Centers, and the Children’s Stage. A full lineup can be viewed at SecretCityFestival.com.
Some new entertainers that will be taking the Pavilion Stage this year include Bruce Sarafian, who holds several world juggling records; The Springs, a country to Christian to southern rock band; and the Ciderville Home & Farm Show, a local show aired on festival sponsoring station BBB Channel 12.
Inside the Civic Center, the Oak Ridge Heritage & Preservation Association will have new exhibits commemorating the 65th Anniversary of the End of World War II.
Visitors who have attend the WWII Reenactment in the past will see several new features this year, including the addition of an extensive USMC Marine Corp presence to highlight American veterans who served in the Pacific Theater of Operations. For the first time in festival history, the reenactment will highlight both theaters of combat.
Another exciting addition to this year's combat scenario will be the inclusion of an authentic armor versus armor conflict into the battle presentations. Spectators will have a rare opportunity to see both American and German armor on the same field and watch them battle for supremacy.
Festival time is the only time of year that visitors can take a sneak peak behind the fence at the Y-12 National Security Complex. This year, for the very first time, visitors will be allowed to tour the first building completed on the Y-12 site, Building 9731. This is the building where the Medical Isotope program had its beginning when Dr. Chris Keim determined Calutrons could be used to separate isotopes other than uranium. The world’s only Alpha Calutron Magnets (20 feet tall) are in this building.
Also new this year is the inaugural Secret City Home Run, a 5k run/walk that will take place at Melton Lake Drive starting at the Flatwater Grill. This event will take place at 7:30 am on the Saturday of the festival.
In addition to all this new stuff, don’t forget the festival will still have your favorite activities returning this year! From the World War II (WWII) living history demonstrations and re-enactment, Manhattan Project facility bus tours, Manhattan Project & WWII history displays, juried arts & crafts, antiques, children’s and toddlers activities and more – there’s so much going on at the Secret City Festival this year, you don’t want to miss it! The 8th Annual Secret City Festival is presented by the City of Oak Ridge, the Oak Ridge Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the Arts Council of Oak Ridge.
This year’s festival sponsors are B&W Y-12 and the City of Oak Ridge, and the media sponsors are The Oak Ridger, Lamar Outdoor Advertising, WBIR-TV, Comcast, and BBB Communications. For more information, visit SecretCityFestival.com or call the information line at 425-3610.
Immediate Release: June 08, 2010