MIDWAY CELEBRATES ON JULY 3 every year so that everyone can attend the countywide Fourth of July fireworks at Woodford County Park. Nora Rouse, and her pal Arthur Mills, decided the misting station at Bluejay Park was the perfect spot to clean up after getting ice cream all over her face and dress. (Photo by Scott White)
UNCLE SAM (Kenneth Johns) showed up for the parade, amazing everyone by how tall he was in person! (Photo by Hannah McIntyre)
PATRIOTIC BIRTHDAY GIRLS! Amanda Lancaster, with her granddaughter Ava Lancaster, got to celebrate their birthday on America’s birthday at the Fourth of July parade in Versailles! (Photo by Scott White)
By Scott White
Woodford Sun Staff
Woodford County went BIG for this year’s Fourth of July celebrations, making sure the sesquicentennial received its proper due.
The events kicked off with a nice, laid-back community picnic in Midway’s gorgeous Bluejay Park on Friday evening. The city sprung for free hot dogs, hamburgers and barbecue beans catered by Blue Smoke, and ice cream was provided by Railroad Drug Store. The acoustic band “2 and a Half Guitars” performed under the shade of a large tree.
Given the heat and humidity, a few wading pools and a mist station were set up. And not surprisingly, several adults joined the large group of kids in the cooling fun.
Thanks to Mother Nature, things cooled down a bit on the Fourth, with low humidity, for an estimated crowd of 1,500 who watched the annual Fourth of July Parade down Versailles’ Main Street. The parade was led by lifelong Woodford Countian and volunteer par excellence Lillie Cox. She was followed by what felt like every county and Versailles fire truck and apparatus, vehicles from other first responders, bicyclists and floats tossing out candy to onlookers.
The day concluded with a big countywide celebration at Woodford County Park. Food trucks, kids’ activities, dance contests, lawn picnicking, and a visit from a VERY tall Uncle Sam (Kenneth Johns) that was topped by a fantastically loud and colorful fireworks show ensured a terrific time for everyone. The natural amphitheater was filled with families in lawn chairs and on blankets, and lots of summer romances were on display with couples holding hands in packs.
An estimated 4,000 people attended the event, which wouldn’t include the dozens of cars and trucks parked along Tyrone Pike and as far out as the high school on Falling Springs Boulevard.