TNA Involved In Destination America’s 4th Of July Celebration

“Independence Day represents the heart and soul of Destination America, and we can’t think of a better way to mark our nation’s birthday than with two very special small towns that are truly worthy of a day of fanfare and great company,” said Marc Etkind, general manager of Destination America. “We’re especially looking forward to creating an uplifting occasion for both towns by bringing Fourth of July fireworks to Waveland for the first time since before Hurricane Katrina and giving Oroville’s veteran community the patriotic celebration they deserve.”

Waveland, a town considered ground zero when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast 10 years ago this August, will celebrate their remarkable recovery with its first Fourth of July fireworks display in a decade. Waveland and neighboring communities will come together for RED, WHITE AND YOU to kick off the 10th anniversary with an event that not only honors Waveland’s journey to rebuild, but pays tribute to the entire Gulf Coast region’s tenacious spirit. Memorable Independence Day festivities will range from carnival activities to local entertainment. In addition, Destination America will present a donation to the Where Angels Play Foundation to help fund the construction of a playground in Waveland dedicated to members of the Bane family who lost their lives during Katrina.

Oroville, nicknamed the City of Gold for its prominence during the California Gold Rush, will restore its tradition of fireworks at the nearby Oroville Dam – the tallest in the country at 770 feet high and the leading water source for the entire state of California – after drought and economic challenges have left the dam dark on Independence Day in recent years. The party will commence with family activities and local entertainment, followed by a spectacular fireworks show from a barge on Lake Oroville as residents watch from atop the Oroville Dam. Destination America will also partner with the Feather River Nature Center, a beloved nature park in Oroville, on Saturday, June 27 from 9am-1pm to organize a community cleanup of the park and offer a donation that will ensure a family-friendly place for locals visit.

Making a special appearance in both towns will be wrestlers from TNA’s IMPACT WRESTLING, which airs on Destination America Wednesday nights at 9/8c. America’s favorite wrestlers will meet-n-greet with fans, bringing together the patriotic pastimes of Independence Day and in-your-face wrestling entertainment.

IMPACT emcee Josh Mathews will host the festivities in Oroville, joined by wrestlers Ethan Carter III and Madison Rayne. In Waveland, Jeremy Borash will take his emceeing duties from the ring to the beach with wrestlers James Storm and Chris Melendez – an Army veteran for whom Independence Day has personal meaning – and Taryn Terrell, a wrestler from New Orleans with her own story of being impacted by Hurricane Katrina.

Destination America partnered with national multi-platform media outlet USA TODAY for the third-annual RED, WHITE AND YOU contest, awarding two deserving communities a one-of-a-kind Fourth of July celebration. The nationwide contest, which garnered more than 2,600 entries, asked Americans to put their patriotism on display and share moving stories of why their respective towns deserve an all-American Independence Day celebration.