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Residents and businesses will come together this weekend for the 14th annual Celebrate Damascus festival, the two-day event that focuses the spotlight on the community.

The celebration will begin Friday at 7 p.m. with a parade that will march north on Ridge Road from Damascus High School to the Damascus Volunteer Fire Department Activity Center on Lewis Drive.

The festival began as a way for businesses and groups to promote themselves and connect with their community, said Tammy Newman, chairwoman of Celebrate Damascus.

"The kids love it because it's almost like Halloween for them," Newman said. "They all have their bags waiting for candy and anything else anybody's handing out."

The grand marshals of the parade are Ray Luhn and Peggy Bellison. Luhn, a decorated World War II veteran, is a founder of Tom and Ray's restaurant on Main Street. Bellison took over the restaurant after her husband, Tom Bellison, also a founder, passed away. Although her sons now run the business, she is still at work every day.

After the parade spectators can congregate around the activity center to hear the bands and see a fireworks display sponsored by the Richard family in honor of their late parents and long-time Damascus residents Edgar C. "Tucker" Richard and Helen V. "Sis" Richard. The fireworks will honor the 50th anniversary of Tucker Richard's local gas station, Tucker's Gas & Go.

Son Gary Richard said the festival is a great way to show new residents how special Damascus is.

Richard, who will sponsor an old-time trolley to shuttle visitors around the festival activities on Saturday, said he loves that the community comes together at Celebrate Damascus to socialize and display the long-standing spirit of the people in the town.

"As a child growing up, anything and everything that ever went on in Damascus was done by volunteers," he said. "Volunteerism is still a very strong fiber in this community."

The parade will end at the Damascus Volunteer Fire Department Activity Center Friday night, where the fire department will sell food. Fire department volunteers will hold an open house at the fire station and share fire prevention information and fire safety videos.

The free Car and Truck Cruise-In will take place at the Activity Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The fire department will also sell breakfast and lunch.

Event organizer Linda Riggs said car buffs from all over the region come to the Car Cruise-In to share restoration tips and stories. She said the Car Cruise-In, which in past years has featured more than 200 vehicles, is a great way for residents, especially children, to see classic cars from owners who enjoy showing their car to the public.

The festival will feature a community flea market sponsored by the Damascus Lions Club beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday at the corner of Woodfield Road and Main Street.

The Damascus Library will host entertainment throughout the festival, including storytellers and a performance by Green Golly and Her Golden Flute at 3 p.m. Saturday. The Damascus Museum, behind the library on Woodfield Road, will be open for tours.

Damascus United Methodist Church will hand out free rain barrels and hold a yard sale Saturday on church grounds, located on New Church Street off Woodfield Road. Proceeds from the yard sale will support the church youth group.

Jimmie Cone will sponsor a banana split-eating contest and Damascus Community Bank will host a moonbounce, the Damascus Theatre Company, Fireworks Pottery where children can make play creations and Feathers the Clown, said Debbie Winpigler of the Damascus Community Bank. Hot dogs and drinks will be sold for one dollar donation to raise money for the fire department and American Legion, she said.

The theme for this year's celebration is American Heritage, which Newman said could be incorporated into the festival in many ways, from patriotic red, white and blue displays in the parade to exhibits of Damascus history.