The 33rd Annual Van Lear Town Celebration is in full swing, but Saturday is slated to be the busiest day of the weekend with events from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The weekend, also known as Van Lear Days, is a celebration of the proud coal mining town’s history, with games, music and a parade.

Saturday morning starts with a turkey shoot setting off from the Butcher Hollow School House at 8 a.m., a classic car show at the Van Lear Freewill Baptist Church at 9 a.m. and the Coal Miners’ Museum opening at 10 a.m. 

Johnson Central High School hosted the tenth annual Awaken concert and conference Friday evening, which saw the return of Grammy-winning recording artist Zach Williams to the stage.

Other Christian artists, including The Collective, Sidewalk Prophets and Inside Joke also performed for the crowd of approximately 1,500.

Though it is perhaps best known as one of the region’s biggest annual Christian rock concerts, First Christian Church pastor and Awaken Ministries president Ben Stephens said the Awaken conference is much more.

The City of Paintsville is ready to celebrate Independence Day in a big way this year.

Starting Saturday night, Paintsville Tourism is hosting “Rock in the 4th” at Paint Creek Park, featuring live music from the Seth Ferguson Experience.

That event will run from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and admission will be free.

On Wednesday, July 4, a full slate of activities is set, starting with “Food and Fun” at the historic Stafford House from noon to 3 p.m.

Turning Pointe Dance Centre held its fourth annual spring dance recital this month at Johnson County Middle School with the theme, “You Better Work!” Johnson County students ages 2 through 18 were joined by other kids from Lawrence, Martin, Floyd and Magoffin Counties. TPDC  offers Mommy & Me, pre-ballet, pre-jazz, ballet, pointe, tap, hip-hop and contemporary dance styles, and will offer a summer dance camp July 16-18 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. each day. Fall classes start in August. For more information, contact studio owner/instructor Alli Adams at, (606) 264-7045, or find them on Facebook.