There will be no festival, just fireworks, at Greenwood’s annual Fourth of July celebration.
Due to flooding at the normal venue for the Stars & Stripes Festival, the plans have been altered.
“It would just be too much, too many logistical challenges” to stick to the original idea, said Beth Stevens, the executive director of the Greenwood-Leflore County Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the event.
The Yazoo River Arboretum, more commonly known as the “Park Between the Bridges,” has been the longstanding site for the community celebration held prior to the national holiday. A large section of the park has been under water since last week, when about 11 inches of rain fell in the area, including an 8-inch downpour in a half-day’s time.
In addition to widespread flash flooding, the torrential rainfall has caused river levels to rise, including that of the Yazoo River, on whose banks across from downtown Greenwood the park is located. Stevens said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has said the river is not expected to crest until this weekend. But even if the park were to drain by the Stars & Stripes date of June 24, it would still be a “muddy mess,” unsuitable for the live entertainment and children’s activities that had been planned, Stevens said.
The fireworks display, though, will go on.
It is tentatively set for 9 p.m., although it is still to be decided whether there will be any restrictions on where people can set up to watch the heavenly explosions.
Stevens said planners may designate specific viewing areas, as the Chamber of Commerce did with the fireworks show last December following the annual Christmas parade.
This is the second straight year that Stars & Stripes has faced difficulties beyond its control.
In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the entire event was canceled, including the fireworks display.
“We hoped 2021 would be better, but 2021 is still bringing its own set of challenges, so we’re just working through them. At least we can do part of the event,” Stevens said.
“Hopefully people won’t be too disappointed and will understand we’re trying to make these decisions based on people’s safety and trying to protect the property and just not creating a big mess out there.”
- Contact Tim Kalich at 581-7243 or tkalich@gwcommonwealth.com.
