The City of DeLand was named one of six finalists for the Most Patriotic Town in America in the second annual Best of the Road campaign sponsored by Rand McNally and USA Today. The contest, designed to support small town economic growth and shine a light on “lesser-known tourism gems across America,” focused its spotlight on DeLand on Sunday and Monday, June 24 and 25, when the Best of the Road Rally judging team visited.

Watch the video created by Team MidLife Road Trip here.

DeLand residents, businesses and the Stetson University community came together to celebrate DeLand’s veterans, military and everyday heroes in a community outpouring of civic pride and patriotism. Unfortunately, the DeLand Suns baseball game that was scheduled Sunday afternoon at Melching Field had to be cancelled due to rain, but the celebration simply moved inside City Hall. Everyone wore their red, white and blue, and enjoyed some group-singing and inspirational messages from Mayor Bob Apgar, Executive Director of MainStreet DeLand Association Jack Becker and other civic leaders. Stetson mascot John B joined in some line-dancing to patriotic tunes.

The rally team will create a memo of their DeLand experience as well as the other towns they visit and the Best of the Road judges will announce the winning towns at the Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) Annual Convention on July 16. The top towns will be highlighted on www.bestoftheroad.com and in the 2014 Rand McNally Road Atlas, as well as on USA Today’s Travel site.