30th year for Ashland’s annual Fourth of July event

ASHLAND — Summer Motion is in full swing in Central Park.

The 30th year of Ashland’s summer festival began on Saturday, featuring music, food, games carnival rides and more.

A car show was one of the highlights on the first day, with vehicles from the 1920s through the present day lining the park’s roadways.

The event will run through Wednesday, bringing crowds to downtown for activities such as a 5K and 10K race, a watermelon social, inflatables for children, its first ever pickleball tournament, health screenings and a motorcycle show.

In addition to the rides at the park, a second carnival site will open at the riverfront today.

Gates open at 5 p.m. daily and Tuesday will feature a performance from headliner The Marshall Tucker Band at 9 p.m., while fireworks will take place at 10:15 p.m. on Wednesday, preceded by music from Restless Heart at 7 p.m. and High Valley at 9 p.m.

For more information, visit www.summermotion.com.