First Annual Portsmouth Rock Festival Set for Fourth of July

PORTSMOUTH -- Are you ready to rock?

Portsmouth officials hope your answer is "Yes!"

The city on the Ohio River is hosting its first-ever Portsmouth Rock Festival, an homage to the Indian Head Rock pulled from the river by adventurer Steve Shaffer, of Ironton, last summer. The rock and its story -- it's at the center of a custody battle between Ohio and Kentucky -- have been featured in local and national media, including the New York Times and the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric.

Portsmouth has decided to embrace ownership of the rock while it still can. Thus all things rock -- and maybe a little roll, too -- will be celebrated this Friday, July 4. Wal-Mart and the Portsmouth Civic Forum are partners in the festival.

The action begins at 3 p.m. at the Portsmouth Riverfront, where the Indian Head Rock will be open for viewing. A replica rock will also be available for pictures and for visitors to carve their own messages.

Free kids' activities, assisted by staff members of the Portsmouth Public Library, will be held in York Park (located behind the floodwall) from 3-7 p.m. and will include rock painting, the opportunity to create a unique rock necklace, searching for rock treasure and, to cool things off a bit, water fun courtesy of the Portsmouth Fire Department.

Kids and adults are invited to scale the rock wall that will be set up in the park. At 5 p.m., there will be a rock wall challenge complete with prizes.

At 6 p.m., young and old can try their hands (pun intended) in what's being billed as the largest "Rock, Paper, Scissors" tournament ever. Prizes will be awarded.

Fun will continue at the amphitheater with entertainment at 7 p.m. from music group Mighty Fine, with storytelling with Mark Twain and the comedy of Bob Batch following at 8 p.m. Mighty Fine will reclaim the stage until the event's main attraction, Civic Forum Fireworks, takes to the skies at 10 p.m.