Montreat Conference Center hosts patriotic Parade

Annual Fourth of July festivities brings throngs of onlookers to town

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
July 4, 2024

The typically serene streets of Montreat were packed with patriotic onlookers, July 4, as an annual summer tradition returned for its 55th year.

A celebratory Fourth of July parade, hosted by the Montreat Conference Center, marked the culmination of a full day of festivities.

The procession began at 10:30 a.m., as Boyd Black and George Banks, of The Original Stoney Creek Boys, served as grand marshals. The band, known for its distinct mountain music, was formed in 1969, booking its first show on the Montreat tennis courts. The Stoney Creek Boys have been the host band for Asheville’s Shindig on the Green for decades.

The parade featured appearances by Montreat Mayor Tim Helms, the Black Mountain Fire Department, local veterans, various community organizations and conference center clubs.

The event was one of many hosted by the Montreat Conference Center throughout the holiday, which ends with the Fourth of July Big Circle Mountain Dance, from 7 - 10 p.m., at the Patricia Cornwell Tennis Center.

Photos of the 55th Annual Montreat Fourth of July Parade can be viewed in the gallery at the top of the page.