MINT HILL, NC – Family Fun Nights are back this summer at Mint Hill Veterans Park! Mint Hill’s series of Family Fun Nights will kick off on June 12 with music from Thirsty Horses, a popular, Charlotte-based band that covers rock, pop, and country hit from the 60s through today.
In addition to music from Thirsty Horses, the event will feature wholesome family fun. “This year we are trying something different,” says Assistant to the Town Manager Sheryl Smith. “Instead of bounce houses, we will have a 9-hole mini-golf course, Giant Jenga, Giant Connect Four, Giant Checkers, and Corn Hole. There will be plenty of fun for kids of all ages!”
Each Family Fun Night will also feature several food trucks. Expect to see Mama K’s Kettle Corn, Thrasher Dogs, and Chick-Fil-A on June 12. “Some food vendors will remain the same throughout the summer, and some will change,” promises Smith. “Every event will be different.”
The June 12 event is the first in a series of four Family Fun Nights planned by the Town of Mint Hill, and it marks a return to normalcy after a year in which many traditional town events had to be canceled or modified in accordance with COVID-based restrictions.
“There were no Family Fun Nights in 2020, but we did have fun!” says Smith. “We were able to give people things to do to get out of the house and practice social distancing. The Scarecrow Decorating Contest and the Easter Egg Hunt were huge hits with families, and we felt we did a good job with the virtual Christmas Tree Lighting and Santa’s Mailbox.”
But nothing beats getting together in person! The COVID-19 vaccine is now widely available to anyone age 12 or older, and the CDC’s recent announcement that vaccinated individuals can safely go out unmasked has paved the way to bring back events like Family Fun Nights and made many people more inclined to attend.
In accordance with the recently relaxed guidelines, Family Fun Nights will not have a cap on attendance, nor will masks be mandated for all attendees. “Because of the size of our soccer fields and a previous number of attendees, we don’t feel we need to set a cap,” says Smith. “The governor’s current order limits are 24 people per 1000 square feet. With the way the numbers are trending, we anticipate things to open up even more after June 1. Attendees will not be required to wear masks but encouraged to practice social distancing. We will have hand washing stations throughout the event.”
Thirsty Horses on June 12 is the first of many events that have been added to the Town’s calendar for 2021, including the return of Mint Hill Madness in October Mint Hill Madness and the Tree Lighting and Christmas Parade in December. “We are very hopeful,” says Smith of the ambitious events calendar. “We moved Mint Hill Madness to the fall because we were not confident people would be comfortable coming to an event of that size in May. We wanted to start small and work our way toward our larger events.”
Family Fun Nights will take place this summer at Mint Hill Veterans Park on June 12 (Thirsty Horses), July 10 (Shelly Ruffin), August 14 (The L.A. Maybe), and September 11 (Delta Fire). Family fun starts at 6:30; music begins at 7:00. For more information on Family Fun Nights and all upcoming Mint Hill events, follow @minthillevents on Facebook!
