Hope Mills, N.C. — Hope Mills is celebrating the return of its lake with a festival this weekend.
Country singer Jeff Bates will highlight the festival and fireworks will be set off over the lake.
The festival kicks off Friday night at 6 p.m. with an open house at the Hope Mills Area Chamber of Commerce. It will be followed by a street dance on Trade Street.
Torrential rains on Memorial Day 2003 washed away the lake's earthen dam, and the town spent years trying to finance a new dam. Construction of a $9.8 million concrete dam was completed earlier this year, and the town began refilling the lake in June.
The lake was filled up in August when the remnants of Tropical Storm Fay dumped rain in the area.
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Hope Mills celebrates lake at festival
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