Independence Day Beach Bash at Reed Bingham State Park

The celebration will kick off Friday, July 2, with a campfire taking place at the buzzard’s roost on the campgrounds. There will be S’mores, campfire singing and live music going on throughout the night.

A variety of games and activities will then take place on Saturday, July 3, and again on Sunday, July 4. Events planned for Saturday include a water balloon contest, a Hula Hoop contest, a three-legged race, a sand turtle contest, a watermelon roll, a relay race, a watermelon seed spitting contest and a miniature golf tournament. All of the activities are free of charge except for the miniature golf tournament, which has a $3 fee per contestant.

On July 4, a variety of events will continue, starting with a kayak race taking place on the lake near the beach pavilion. Other activities planned for the day include a gopher tortoise hike, a sack race, a scavenger hunt and an animal viewing at the beach pavilion. The day’s activities will conclude with a campfire at the beach pavilion.

Unlike past year’s celebrations at the park, there will not be a fireworks display taking place this year. There will also be no food vendors at the park, so guests will need to bring their own refreshments. There is a $5 fee to park at the park each day per vehicle.

In addition to the scheduled activities, there will be nature hikes, wildlife presentations, live music and campfires. The park is open from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. each day.