When we moved to Mathews County, we knew it was small and we might miss out on some things. One of those that I assumed we would have to do without was Fourth of July fireworks. After all, they’re expensive!

Since we were moving in on that July Fourth weekend, though, I was paying attention to see what activities they might have. A parade would seem to be  inexpensive, so maybe there would be one! But there actually was a Fourth of July celebration scheduled with fireworks! It was to go along with a family fun day held by the Mathews YMCA and Boys and Girls Club.

The Fun Day really was fun, too. They had different games setup on the Mathews High School football field. They included bocci, ring toss, golf putting, and my favorite, watermelon seed-spitting. They sold BBQ sandwiches and drinks to raise money, and these great brownies that had a definite coffee flavor to them.

The fireworks themselves came later. The football field was pretty empty when we got there. But as the time approached for the show, more and more people came. They sat in the bleachers like us, or took their lawn chairs down on the field. All of the kids were playing on the field, too.

Different groups were doing different things. Hannah found herself in a group playing keep-away. There were several girls her age, and she boldly (with some prodding) went to each of them and introduced herself. She made friends and gathered phone numbers, and continues to see the people she met that day around town.

Isaac found a fellow “talker” and they walked up and down the field, chatting for the entire hour-and-a-half wait. The other boy was from out of town. Their family owns a cottage in the area. They were scouters, too! They promised to stay in touch for the summer, but unfortunately, I lost their number. The boys sat on the field together and watched the fireworks.

The actual fireworks themselves were incredible! They literally began the show with what you would expect to be a finale. Smoke hazed the sky as rocket after rocket exploded above. It was noisy, flashy, and wonderful! They played patriotic music the entire time of the show, which was a nice addition. All in all, it was exactly the kind of day that would have fit Jefferson’s or Adams’ idea of what a Fourth of July celebration should look like!