OLS Independence Day celebrations, rummage sale back

Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in Homewood will host its 67th annual Independence Day Festival — one of the largest holiday events in the Birmingham area — on July 4.

The festival — featuring barbecue as well as the “Trash and Treasure” rummage sale — will be at 1728 Oxmoor Road from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Trash and Treasure will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the OLS school gymnasium and parking garage. There will be about 10,000 items offered at bargain prices, including furniture, jewelry, home decor and toys, said event co-chairman Mark Morel.

The festival will feature a DJ spinning tunes, as well as games and activities including a dunking booth, fish pond, ring toss, putting green, Hot Wheels races and inflatable jumpers.

Cooks will prepare about 6,000 pounds of meat, including pork ribs, pulled pork, chicken, sausage and hot dogs, Morel said.  

Proceeds from the event support local charities, as well as the OLS school and church. 

“We come together as a community; there’s a lot of fellowship, and everything we’re doing while we’re having fun is benefiting somebody who has less than we do,” Morel said. “We just think it’s the perfect way to celebrate the Fourth of July.”

A raffle will be held for a total of $11,000 in cash prizes, including a grand prize of $5,000. Raffle tickets — $5 each or $20 for a book of five — will be available July 4 at the festival and from church members. The drawing will be at the end of day’s festivities.  

The festival is free, but there will be tickets on sale for games and food.

Trash & Treasure is free as well, but the first 400 people in line will be able to enter the sale early at 8 a.m. for $5.

For more information about the sale, call 871-8121 or go to the “OLS Trash and Treasure” Facebook page.