Photo by Victorian Rose Studio

Seven years ago, the American Legion World Series (ALWS) committee wanted to find a way to thank the Cleveland County community for all of the hard work and volunteer hours that go into making the series a success each year.
"Our organization really appreciates the tremendous job this community does in hosting and providing Southern hospitality for the ALWS participants and fans," says says Eddie Holbrook, chair of the ALWS committee.
To show this thanks, the ALWS committee developed the 7th Inning Stretch Festival, which this year garnered recognition by MSN.com as North Carolina's best summer festival.
"Only one festival per state was chosen for their summer listing, so this is quite the nod," says Kim Davis, president of Dragonfly Marketing, which provides management for the festival. "Who knows how large the crowd will be this year, especially with Martina McBride as the headliner!"
This year's event will be held August 10, 2019, beginning with a 5K at 8 a.m. A percentage of the proceeds from the 5K will go to the family of fallen officer Tim Brackeen.
The Little Miss American Legion World Series Pageant will be held at the Don Gibson Theatre at 10 a.m. The rest of the festival's activities will be from 3-10 p.m. that day. This year's festival will feature the "Sports Moonwalk Slide," face painting, street entertainers, a corn hole tournament, characters for the kids, a balloon twister, a "Wrecking Ball," a zip-thru obstacle course and the "Rat Race/Giant Hamster Balls" 72-foot inflatable racetrack. Food vendors will also be available throughout the afternoon and evening.
The concert headliner for the evening will be Martina McBride, who will take the stage at 8 p.m. She will be preceded on the stage by the 208th Army Band at
6 p.m. Both concerts are free and open to the public.
For more information about the 7th Inning Stretch Festival, visit the website at www.7thinningstretch.cc or search for "7th Inning Stretch Festival" on Facebook.

By April Hoyle Shauf, Special to Community First Media