Jul. 3—As the city of Decatur prepares to celebrate its 57th annual Spirit of America Festival on July 4, locals remember the festival throughout the years that drew thousands of guests from all over the state, even from Hollywood and the White House.

The first festival was hosted in 1967 at Decatur High’s Ogle Stadium where an estimated 10,000 people attended the first year. It eventually moved to Delano Park before moving to its current home at Point Mallard Park.

The idea for the festival came after a conversation about patriotism between Decatur Daily reporter Al Benn and Birmingham News reporter George Biggers.

“The war in Vietnam was raging in 1967 when George and I decided something needed to be done to counter the growing number of anti-war demonstrations across the country,” Benn told The Decatur Daily in 2016. “That’s when we came up with ‘The Spirit of America Festival,’ an event that would be held on July 4 each year.”

In the 1970s, the festival featured several country music entertainers and Hollywood actors like Anson Williams and Ted McGinley from “Happy Days,” Alabama actor George “Goober” Lindsey from “The Andy Griffith Show,” and Dawn Wells from “Gilligan’s Island.”

Prominent American evangelist Billy Graham also attended the festival in 1979.

One of the biggest highlights in the 1980s was when President Ronald Reagan attended the festival in 1984 and was named grand marshal by the organizers. Reagan gave an 18-minute speech about what freedom should mean to the citizens of the United States and lauded Decatur for always keeping Independence Day sacred.

“… One of the most impressive things about it is that you began this annual Fourth of July celebration 18 years ago when some people said that patriotism was out of style back in that period,” Reagan said. “Well, I guess here in Decatur it never was out of style.”

Trinity resident Scott Owens, 55, remembers the festivals during the 1980s as having massive crowds with food and activities all day.

“In the ’80s I remember it was awesome, all day fun,” Owens said. “Live music all day at the Spirit Stage, and the field was so full and large it was exhausting to get around.”

Owens recalled seeing Reagan in 1984 and said he and the crowd were glad to see him there.

“A group of us teens would tent camp in the campground, so we were there until the fireworks ended,” Owens said. “Good food all day. I think I tried it all.”

After his speech, Reagan asked to speak with 12-year-old Chris Hames after Hames offered him his Dixie League All-Star baseball hat as his team marched in the festival’s parade. His father, Harry Hames, remembers that day with pride.

“I was coaching the All-Star baseball team and they went across the stage and Chris said, ‘Hey Mr. President, you want to be a part of our All-Star team?’ and he threw him his baseball cap,” Hames said.

Reagan spoke with Chris backstage and asked him if he wanted his hat back and he insisted the president hold on to it.

“We got word later that they put it in the Reagan Museum along with the number of caps in places that he had visited,” Hames said. “It was so exciting to be a part of that and know my son got to meet one of the greatest presidents America has ever had.”

Hames, 77, said he also remembers when Gov. George Wallace and U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy attended the festival in 1973. Wallace was wheelchair-bound after having survived an assassination attempt the prior year during his campaign for the Democratic presidential primaries.

“Seeing the snipers in the trees and on top of T.C. Almon (Recreation Center) protecting them,” Hames said. “Racial tensions had been big and we had two opposite people with Gov. Wallace and Mr. Kennedy. They thought there would be some conflict, but there was not.”

— wesley.tomlinson@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2442.