Spirit of America Festival
spirit america festival outdoor fourth july celebration typically held period two day point mallard park decatur alabama featuring variety traditional summer activity event organized staged allvolunteer board major highlight festival presentation two special award given notable citizen audie murphy patriotism award barrett c shelton freedom award latter named locally revered decatur daily publisher whose family still control newspaper well one north alabama largest aerial firework display spirit america festival began response growth antivietnam war protest throughout united state largely conservative citizen decatur decided show support serviceman servicewomen vietnam promote patriotism among citizen presenting annual fourth july event people gathered ogle stadium football field decatur high school first spirit america festival early held delano park municipal facility located across street decatur high miss america miss alabama preliminary pageant added festival lineup miss spirit america along family game musical performance special event spirit america festival relocated time u bicentennial year outdoor stage constructed point mallard park owned operated city decatur since tourist attraction right adding appeal visitor outside area pageant title changed miss point mallard pageant moved final year princess theatre center performing art downtown decatur resumed miss spirit america name due declining interest beauty pageant throughout america event discontinued late air force captain gerald young first speech given since receiving medal honor heroism vietnam directed great tribute american soldier gathering people president ronald reagan seeking reelection addressed crowd people year festival time city decatur resident meaning people attended presidential speech actually lived city covid pandemic concern caused entirety festival even firework display canceled th festival took place safety measure place audie murphy patriotism award named honor america decorated soldier world war ii medal honor recipient audie murphy murphy scheduled guest speaker spirit america festival died plane crash two month prior festival award presented annually outstanding american patriot outstanding group individual exemplify true spirit america past recipient audie murphy patriotism award include vietnam prisoner war charles j plumb brigadier general hallett edson general omar bradley alabama governor george c wallace u senator james b allen u senator john sparkman u astronaut john young olympic track star jesse owen native neighboring lawrence county alabama entertainer johnny cash u representative bob jones secretary state alexander haig vietnam veteran u senator jeremiah denton u senator strom thurmond iranian hostage charles c scott actor gerald mcraney u admiral donald whitmire barrett c shelton freedom award established honor local newspaper publisher barrett c shelton sr one founder festival award presented annually honor alabamian outstanding service community state notable past recipient shelton award include henry eugene red erwin u senator howell heflin u representative ronnie flippo hj heimlich humanitarian award added honor presented spirit america festival plaque presented individual group saved attempted save another human being life individual group significantly added betterment people dr hj heimlich first recipient followed united service organization miss spirit america pageant known miss point mallard one many preliminary pageant miss america scholarship program winner pageant advanced miss alabama pageant along receiving variety scholarship opportunity gift certificate prize amateur golf tournament also bear spirit america name loosely tied annual proceeding however tournament conducted country club far southeastern decatur near priceville point mallard public golf course