Staff prepare the landscaping for the new Spencer Town Park that will have a soft opening during the annual fireworks display at the NC Transportation Museum this Saturday. The event starts at 4:30 p.m. with fireworks at 9:15 p.m. Submitted photo

SPENCER — The new Spencer Town Park, nine months in the construction and years in the planning, will welcome the community to its opening Saturday, June 28, in conjunction with the N.C. Transportation Museum’s annual Fireworks Over Historic Spencer Shops.

The events will kick off at 4:30 p.m. with a soft opening of the new park on Salisbury Avenue with a brief ceremony and photo opportunity. At 5 p.m., the local band Motel Soap will take the stage and will play throughout the evening.

“This will be a soft opening of Spencer Town Park with a formal dedication ceremony to follow in the fall,” said Town Manager Peter Franzese.

The evening’s events are free to the public, and across Salisbury Avenue at the museum, fireworks will start at 9:15 p.m. There is a Firecracker Express train ride available for a fee, and more information on activities at the museum can be found at nctransportationmuseum.org/fireworks-over-historic-spencer-shops/

Live music at this event is made possible from the support of several community sponsors, including: Spencer Partnership, Rob and Beth Nance, Dr. Washko Family Dentistry, Spencer Woman’s Club, Spencer Masonic Lodge, Central United Methodist Church, and Spencer Presbyterian Church.

Kona Ice and the food truck Stick It 2 You, owned and operated by the owner of the Spencer Deli, will be on site and Franzese noted local restaurants have been encouraged to be open for the events.