Destination America issued the following release, detailing their “Red, White And YOU” contest; including TNA wrestlers making appearances in the winning towns:
Destination America Marks Fourth of July with Star Spangled Celebrations
Destination America, part of Discovery Communications family of networks, and the only television channel dedicated to all-American entertainment, is bringing spectacular Independence Day celebrations to the two winning towns of its RED, WHITE AND YOU CONTEST – Waveland, Miss., and Oroville, Calif. The line-up of fun in each town will encompass all the elements of a quintessential patriotic party: all-American festival foods like hot dogs and ice cream; carnival activities including inflatable tee ball, a moon bounce, and face painting; a special appearance by some of the biggest names in professional wrestling; live performances by favorite local musicians; and a dazzling fireworks display to close out the night. The RED, WHITE AND YOU festivities will take place in both towns on Saturday, July 4.
“Independence Day represents the heart and soul of Destination America, and we can’t think of a better way to mark our nation’s birthday than with two very special small towns that are truly worthy of a day of fanfare and great company,” said Marc Etkind, general manager of Destination America. “We’re especially looking forward to creating an uplifting occasion for both towns by bringing Fourth of July fireworks to Waveland for the first time since before Hurricane Katrina and giving Oroville’s veteran community the patriotic celebration they deserve.”
Waveland, a town considered ground zero when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast 10 years ago this August, will celebrate their remarkable recovery with its first Fourth of July fireworks display in a decade. Waveland and neighboring communities will come together for RED, WHITE AND YOU to kick off the 10th anniversary with an event that not only honors Waveland’s journey to rebuild, but pays tribute to the entire Gulf Coast region’s tenacious spirit. Memorable Independence Day festivities will range from carnival activities to local entertainment. In addition, Destination America will present a donation to the Where Angels Play Foundation to help fund the construction of a playground in Waveland dedicated to members of the Bane family who lost their lives during Katrina.
Oroville, nicknamed the City of Gold for its prominence during the California Gold Rush, will restore its tradition of fireworks at the nearby Oroville Dam – the tallest in the country at 770 feet high and the leading water source for the entire state of California – after drought and economic challenges have left the dam dark on Independence Day in recent years. The party will commence with family activities and local entertainment, followed by a spectacular fireworks show from a barge on Lake Oroville as residents watch from atop the Oroville Dam. Destination America will also partner with the Feather River Nature Center, a beloved nature park in Oroville, on Saturday, June 27 from 9am-1pm to organize a community cleanup of the park and offer a donation that will ensure a family-friendly place for locals visit.
Making a special appearance in both towns will be wrestlers from TNA’s IMPACT WRESTLING, which airs on Destination America Wednesday nights at 9/8c. America’s favorite wrestlers will meet-n-greet with fans, bringing together the patriotic pastimes of Independence Day and in-your-face wrestling entertainment.
IMPACT emcee Josh Mathews will host the festivities in Oroville, joined by wrestlers Ethan Carter III and Madison Rayne. In Waveland, Jeremy Borash will take his emceeing duties from the ring to the beach with wrestlers James Storm and Chris Melendez – an Army veteran for whom Independence Day has personal meaning – and Taryn Terrell, a wrestler from New Orleans with her own story of being impacted by Hurricane Katrina.
Destination America partnered with national multi-platform media outlet USA TODAY for the third-annual RED, WHITE AND YOU contest, awarding two deserving communities a one-of-a-kind Fourth of July celebration. The nationwide contest, which garnered more than 2,600 entries, asked Americans to put their patriotism on display and share moving stories of why their respective towns deserve an all-American Independence Day celebration.
RED, WHITE AND YOU’s official sponsors are Ball Park®brand and the Dairy Queen® brand, which are taking part in both grand-prize celebrations. There’s nothing more American than watching fireworks and enjoying juicy, great-tasting Ball Park® beef franks with all the toppings! Then for dessert, cool down with classic DQ® Dilly® Bars, a Dairy Queen fan favorite! Both towns will also delight in finger-licking barbecue specialties inspired by Destination America’s hit series BBQ PITMASTERS: ALL STARS, airing Thursdays at 9/8c. DIRECTV will also be on site to provide families with information on how to sign up with DIRECTV through one of their local authorized dealers.
About Destination America
Destination America is the only network to celebrate the people, places, and stories of the United States. The inclusive network targeting Adults 25-54 is available in nearly 60 million homes, emblazoning television screens with the grit and tenacity, honesty and work ethic, humor and adventurousness that characterize our nation. Destination America features travel, food, adventure, home, and natural history, with original series like BBQ Pitmasters; A Haunting; Mountain Monsters; Buying Alaska; Buying the Bayou; and Railroad Alaska. For more information, please visit DestinationAmerica.com, facebook.com/DestinationAmerica, or twitter.com/DestAmerica. Destination America is part of Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the world’s #1 pay-tv programmer reaching nearly 3 billion cumulative subscribers in 220 countries and territories.
About USA TODAY
USA TODAY is a multi-platform news and information media company. Founded in 1982, USA TODAY’s mission is to serve as a forum for better understanding and unity to help make the USA truly one nation. Through its unique visual storytelling, USA TODAY delivers high-quality and engaging content across print, digital, social, and video platforms. An innovator of news and information, USA TODAY reflects the pulse of the nation and serves as the host of the American conversation – today, tomorrow, and for Decades to follow. USA TODAY, the nation’s number one newspaper in print circulation with an average of nearly 1.8 million daily, and USATODAY.com, an award-winning newspaper website launched in 1995, reach a combined 6.6 million readers daily. USA TODAY is a leader in mobile applications with more than 16 million downloads on mobile devices. USA TODAY is owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI).About Ball Park brand
The Ball Park brand was launched in 1957 in response to a request from the owner of the Detroit Tigers baseball team. The Ball Park frank was such a success, it was expanded nationally. Today, Ball Park products can be found in supermarkets, convenience stores and a variety of sports venues – including Detroit’s Comerica Park. For more information, visit www.ballparkbrand.com.
ABOUT ADQ
American Dairy Queen Corporation (ADQ), which is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., develops, licenses and services a system of more than 6,400 Dairy Queen® stores in the United States, Canada and 25 other countries. ADQ is part of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies led by Warren Buffett, the legendary investor and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. For more information, visit DairyQueen.com.
