Smithfield, Isle of Wight celebrate Independence Day with two days of fireworks
Published 10:32 am Friday, July 5, 2024
- Smithfield and Isle of Wight County each hosted fireworks displays over two days to celebrate Independence Day. Here, spectators watch and snap cell phone photos of the fireworks at the Isle of Wight County fairgrounds on July 3. (Photos by Stephen Faleski | The Smithfield Times)
Independence Day fireworks returned to Smithfield on July 2, and to the Heritage Park fairgrounds near Windsor on July 3.
Smithfield kicked off the festivities at 6:30 p.m. on July 2 with a reading of the Declaration of Independence outside the 1750 Isle of Wight County Courthouse.
The festivities at the fairgrounds included a concert by Chase Payne, a country artist from Virginia Beach, sponsored by Isle of Wight County Parks and Recreation.
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- Trent and Wade Xinos, dressed in the 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment musician uniforms, play 17th century pipe and drum tunes outside the 1750 Isle of Wight County Courthouse on July 2 ahead of a reading of the Declaration of Independence. Continental Army musician uniforms were red with blue trim, the inverse of the blue coats with red trim worn by regular soldiers.
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- David Hundley, director of the 1750 Courthouse, reads the Declaration of Independence.
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- Joshua Gardner helps his brother, Brandon, follow along as reenactors with the 1750 Isle of Wight County Courthouse read the Declaration of Independence aloud.
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- Catherine and Chip Vance watch the fireworks from the docks at Smithfield Station.
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- Spectators snap cell phone photos of the fireworks at the fairgrounds.
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- Terryn and Ryan Morton watch the fireworks from Smithfield Station.
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- Linda and Wally Faison, Gene and Mary Faison, Steve and Tina Price, James Milburn, Lindsay Collins and J.V. and Lauren Oliver, all of Surry Seafood Co., made the trip to Smithfield from the Grays Creek Marina by boat to watch the town’s fireworks.
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- Caylan Hicks, Chloe Colbert and Natalie Simon watch the fireworks from the docks at Smithfield Station.
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- Jaime Brinkley, Bryson Goodman, Scott Brinkley, Morgan Brinkley and Sydney Brinkley, all of Windsor, tailgate in their best red, white and blue attire ahead of the fireworks at the Isle of Wight County Fairgrounds.
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- David and Matilyn Rastatter, Nick McFatter, Tommy Sweeney and Hayden Sweeney, all of Smithfield, gather at the Isle of Wight County fairgrounds for the fireworks.
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- Taylor Tombakoglu and her daughter, Ella, show off their glowstick necklaces at the fairgrounds fireworks.
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- Allie Fowler, Isabelle Barney and Aislyn Posey, all of Windsor, and Abigail Hayward of Southampton County, show off their red, white and blue attire and sunglasses at the Isle of Wight County fairgrounds fireworks.
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- Jacob, Hillary, Milo, Maxton, Jalen and Janelle Cummings tailgate at the fairgrounds ahead of the fireworks.
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- David Jackson, Hitomi Dillon and Seiko Jackson set up a spot to watch the fireworks.
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- Junior Miss Isle of Wight County Fair Queen Addison Crown, Teen Miss Amelia Pulley and Miss Madison Lowe give updates at the July 3 Isle of Wight County fairgrounds fireworks on the 2024 fair planned for September.
Editor’s note: The caption for the photo of Trent and Wade Xinos playing pipes and drums is updated to correct that they are dressed as 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment musician uniforms, and not British soldiers. Continental Army musician uniforms were red with blue trim, the inverse of the blue coats with red trim worn by regular soldiers.
