Friday night's Stars & Stripes in the Park offered a little something for everyone - good food, great music and a spectacular fireworks display.
"I was very satisfied. This event just gets bigger every year," said Beth Stevens, executive vice president of the Greenwood-Leflore County Chamber of Commerce, which coordinates the annual event.
Despite the oppressive heat and humidity, she said, crowds came out to Whittington Park for the four-hour show, ending with the fireworks finale.
Mayor Sheriel Perkins said the evening was magical. "I thought it was fantastic. It was well attended. There was such a sense of fellowship," she said.
"I can't say enough about it. The fireworks at the end were unbelievable," Perkins said.
"It's a community event and more and more people understand that. I think this year, we had the biggest crowd yet in the park," Stevens said.
The honor guard from American Legion Post No. 29 got things started with a 21-gun salute in honor of our country's fallen servicemen and women.
A "diamond" formation fly-over was performed by Greenwood members of the Southwest Navion Air Group.
Two musical acts, the West Singers and Under the Gun, performed to the delight of the crowds.
While the city of Greenwood and the Leflore County Board of Supervisors provided a portion of the funds used to put on the show, Stevens said, other sponsors including Greenwood Utilities, Viking Range Corp., Greenwood Leflore Hospital, the Greenwood Convention & Visitors Bureau and Mississippi Printing Co., also provided substantial assistance.
Stevens said the chamber's Fourth of July committee volunteers, led by Beth Williams, deserve a lot of the credit for making the event a success.
"This could not have happened without their hard work," she said.
Eulicia Green, who brought her 1-year-old son, Anthony, to the park, said it was a nice way to spend quality time together.
"This is nice. I'm enjoying it," she said.
