Inclement weather couldn’t dampen Putnam’s July Fourth spirit
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Children in Interlachen beat the heat as a firetruck sprays water over them at one of the town’s baseball fields during the town’s Fourth of July celebration. -
The band Lazy J and Co. performs Tuesday evening in downtown Interlachen during the town’s celebration of Independence Day. -
A vendor packages food to give to people in line during Interlachen’s Fourth of July event. -
Justin Smoot Jr. plays at the flagpole in downtown Interlachen during the town’s Fourth of July festivities. -
A family picks their spot in downtown Interlachen to watch the fireworks show that will occur in the town. -
Fireworks explode over Interlachen on Tuesday night in celebration of the Fourth of July. -
Photo submitted by Amy Stanley -- Two of more than 50 boats sail along Lake Santa Fe for the no-wake Melrose Boat Parade on Tuesday in celebration of Independence Day. The Melrose Business and Community Association organized the event. -
Children at the Palatka riverfront play a game involving a volleyball Tuesday evening before the city’s fireworks show begins. -
Serenity Wilkins, 2, enjoys some juice at the Palatka riverfront on the Fourth of July. -
Ariella Gross, 4, of Palatka shows off her red, white and blue outfit while waiting for fireworks at the Palatka riverfront. -
Fireworks ignite over the Palatka riverfront Tuesday evening as the city’s July Fourth celebration comes to a close. -
TYLER STARR/Special to the Daily News -- Fireworks explode over the Palatka riverfront Tuesday as the city celebrated the Fourth of July. -
Positively Putnam FL
By Sarah Cavacini and Brandon D. Oliver
Palatka Daily News
scavacini@palatkadailynews.com
boliver@palatkadailynews.com
People throughout Putnam County celebrated America’s Independence from Tuesday morning into the evening.
There were a wide array of events in different areas of the county, including Interlachen and Palatka.
In West Putnam, festivities began around 8 a.m. as the town of Interlachen kicked off a day’s worth of fun, including a cake contest, sack races, live music and more.
And all of those activities culminated with a fireworks show shortly after 9 p.m.
Justin Smoot and his family had been celebrating the Fourth of July at home and in Salt Springs earlier in the day, but they decided to return to Interlachen to watch the fireworks that evening.
“I try to stay local,” Smoot said. “The food vendors, I try to support small businesses. I’m very family-oriented, so I’m always with my kids.”
Smoot said he and his family enjoy spending time in Interlachen for July Fourth, so much though that his son won the Fourth of July diaper Derby six years earlier.
Another Interlachen resident spending time with his family was Brian Hunter.
While teaching his son to do pull-ups on a set of bleachers, Hunter talked about his love of the town’s Independence Day celebration.
“We come every year, pretty much,” he said. “It’s local. We don’t have to drive all the way to Palatka and be late getting home.”
But there was a large crowd in Palatka for the fireworks once the storms and gray skies passed.
Children dressed up in patriotic outfits and played on the lawn in front of the amphitheater as the band Soulfull Roots filled the riverfront with music despite the overcast skies.
City officials reopened the St. Johns River Center, where children and families interacted with the exhibits and took shelter from the rain. Tuesday’s opening, however, was only a soft opening, city officials said.
The lightning and thunder rolled in around 8:30 p.m., but despite the gray skies, city officials didn’t let that stop their festivities.
Palatka Community Affairs Assistant Erin Hewes said the rain happens every year.
“The rain doesn’t have me down,” she said as city officials decided to have the fireworks Tuesday night.
The fireworks show took place at 9:15 p.m., 25 minutes after the original time, but by then, more people made their way to the Palatka riverfront.
When the last firework boomed in the sky, the rain had faded away.
“I feel like you just got to tough it out,” Hewes said.