Star Spangled Summer at Earl Scruggs Center

with FREE ADMISSION for Active Duty Military and Veterans

The Earl Scruggs Center, in partnership with the City of Shelby, NC, is pleased to announce a “Star Spangled Summer” with free exhibit admission for all active duty military personnel and veterans between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
 
In addition, this partnership makes it possible to bring The Hickabillies, a bluegrass band formed during Operation Iraqi Freedom, to the Center June 27th for a program and kick-off of the Center’s Pickin’ On The Square series.


As a Blue Star Museum, the Center joins more than 2,000 museums across America offering free admission to military personnel and their families this summer in collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, and the Department of Defense. Blue Star Museums is an effort to improve the quality of life for active duty military families, especially focusing on the approximately 1 million children who have had at least one parent deployed. Blue Star Museums was created to show support for military families who have faced multiple deployments and the challenges of reintegration. This program offers these families a chance to visit museums this summer when many will have limited resources and limited time to be together.
 
For more information about the Blue Star Museums program visit the link on the Earl Scruggs Center website. The site lists all participating museums as well as frequently asked questions.
 
Haley Pillars, Earl Scruggs Center Programming Coordinator said “the Blue Star Museums program is a way to show our gratitude for the sacrifices that active duty men and women and their families make. It was important to us to also be able to recognize the service and sacrifices of our veterans so we were able to do both because of our partnership with the City of Shelby.”
 
June 27th join us for The Hickabillies: Music & Stories of Bluegrass in Iraq. The Hickabillies, “The Original Iraqi Garage Band”, formed during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Hickabillies are composed of members from Old Hickory, the 30th Heavy Separate Brigade. The 30th Brigade began active duty September 2003 and left for Iraq in February of 2004.
 Emory Altman, Hickabillies band member said “Our band is unique; we came together unlike any other garage band in the world…in a combat zone!!!  We are truly a “band of brothers”. Through our experiences in Iraq, turning the lights out during a show in the middle of a mortar attack, to driving 8 hours to a base for a show pulling our own security along the way, the band is closer than most.  Oh yeah, and what other band can say it was 140 degrees and a set was stopped in the middle of a rocket attack!”  
 
The Hickabillies will be sure to entertain with their stories, humor and music from 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm in the Great Hall of the Earl Scruggs Center.   At 5:00 pm The Hickabillies kick off our summer Pickin’ on the Square series with live music until 8:00 pm.  Lemonade, cookies, face painting and crafts for kids will be available during the event.   
 
For more information, visit the Earl Scruggs Center website at www.EarlScruggsCenter.org or call 704-487-6233 during regular operating hours.

• Wednesday10:00 am – 6:00 pm
  
• Thursday -Saturday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

• Sunday 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Regular Admission

• Standard $12
• 62+/College Student $8.00
• Youth $5.00
• Under 5  FREE