This Party is Boomin’

Cashiers:Make room for some boom at the Village Green Fireworks Extravaganza on the Green Monday, July 4, at 6:30 P.M. at the Village Green Commons. It’s free (with donation to Cashiers Community Fireworks Fund), it’s fabulous, and no doubt about it, they put some fantastic fire in their works! It’s a feast for eyes (fireworks), ears (music and kabooms), tastebuds (yummy food), and feet (dancing in the moonlight).Folks at the Green suggest: Bring a lawn chair or blanket to enjoy a great concert. You’ll be up out of your seat dancing the night away! A beautiful fireworks display will light up the Cashiers night sky with red, white, and blue.Donations will be collected for a community fireworks fund to preserve the legacy of this cherished community celebration.The Village Green needs your help to continue to sponsor events like Fireworks on the Green. Please consider a donation on their GoFundMe page so that they may continue to bring you concerts, festivals, and other entertainment. Call (828) 743-3434 or visitvillagegreencashiers.comLake Glenville:Most fireworks enthusiasts enjoy the Fourth of July’s pyrotechnics while standing or sitting on solid ground. But those with boats who gather at Glenville Lake row or motor themselves to the local show. They have a magnificent front row view, as they rock on the waves ‘neath the rockets.On Sunday, July 3, at 9:30 P.M., get ready for the 25th anni-versary of Friends of Lake Glenville Fireworks Over the Lake. The Pyrotechnic Team members are experienced pros. Safety is their over-riding concern. So, abide by their rules and regs to make this celebration the safest and most spectacular ever.The launching area is the usual spot, The Point, slightly north of Trillium on the west side of Lake Glenville. There is great viewing right off 107 North along the roadside near Hamburg Baptist Church south to the pullover/open areas along the lake. It will be dark, so please be courteous to other drivers and pull your car completely off the road. And on water, please obey the officers in watercraft as they direct boats to a safe distance from shoreline, fireworks, and other boats. Shifting wind can cause collisions, so abide by the authorities who are dedicated to keeping the evening accident-free.Short of dangerous conditions such as thunder and lightning, fireworks will be held, rain or shine. Promoters of the firework display announce, “For up-to-the-minute status of the fire-works,‘Like’ and ‘Follow’ our Facebook Pageand look for a post from us around 9:00 P.M. on July 3.”Special thanks to all the sponsors who contribute annually to Friends of Lake Glenville. This annual fireworks tradition would not be possible without donations from our generous community. And special thanks to the Cashiers-Glenville Fire Department for attending the event, providing assistance as or if required.The event is free, but please make a donation to those who presented this star-spangled, red-white-and-blue-tiful Fourth. Visitfriendsoflakeglenville.comfor more information.Highlands: In the middle of summer, we’re given the perfect gift: Independence Day. We love it so much, we often expand it into a weekend. It’s an excuse to consume mass quantities of everything: food, drink, barbecue, outdoor activities, and music. Then we finish it all off with big bangs and bodacious booms. It’s the holiday that welcomes excess. So here are some events you won’t want to miss from Highlands to Cashiers to Sapphire. Highlands Chamber of Commerce/Visit Highlands, NC promises fun Friday, July 1, through Monday, July 4.Friday Night Live at Town Square features the Silly Ridge Trio, 6:00 to 8:30 P.M.The following evening, arrive early to hear The Swingin’ Richards (party band) at Saturdays on Pine, Kelly-Hutchinson Founders Park from 6:00-8:30 P.M. On Monday, July 4, attend Independence Day Festival. From 9:00 to 11:00 A.M. at Town Ball Field on Hickory Street, get your free materials to build and launch a soda bottle water rocket. It’s your chance to make a big splash. At 11:00 A.M., prepare yourself for one or all of these contests: tug-o’-war, three-legged sack race, water balloon toss, and frozen t-shirt contests (a true ice-breaker), hosted by Town of Highlands Recreation Department.Continuing at noon at Town Ball Field, MAMA (Mountain Area Medical Airlift) Rescue Helicopter will touch down for a visit. Then check out the Ladder Truck display and spray-down.Later, at 2:00 P.M. on the Bridge at Mill Creek, witness the annual Highlands Rotary Club’s Duck Derby. Release the Quacken! It’s touted as the most exciting five minutes in Highlands. Buy tickets in advance ($10). Be the lucky duck who wins cash. Enjoy a concert at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founder’s Park at 6:00 P.M. featuring The Business band. Fife and drum, please – it’s the grand finale of the day: Fireworks on the Fourth, presented by Highlands Chamber of Commerce/Visit Highlands, NC, 9:00 to 10:00 P.M., visible from throughout downtown.

by Donna Rhodes