Beulaville Pentecostal’s July 4 celebration a smash hit
Festival-goers eagerly await the fireworks show at Beulaville PFWB. Photo by Trevor Normile
By Trevor Normile
BEULAVILLE— Food, fun and fireworks are the equation in any good July 4th celebration, and the annual festival at the Beulaville Pentecostal Freewill Baptist Church was no exception. The smell of grilled down-home delicacies filled the air as Church members and local residents alike commemorated the birth of the nation Sunday in a no holds-barred fair that catered to the entire family.
An estimated 850 visitors attended the celebration, about 250 more than last year. According to Miriam Summerlin, event coordinator, the church was gearing up for more than 1,000.
“Information was posted in local newspapers, radio and online via facebook,” Summerlin said.
She went on to say, “The church has always had an outdoors event celebrating the 4th, but since moving to our new building [the event] grew. We had the most last year we have ever had at an outdoor event.”
The festival was free to enter, and upon arriving every person was given a ticket which could be turned in for a free meal. The church also gave relief from the blistering July heat with giant inflatable waterslides, a dunking booth and a slip-n-slide.
The massive herd of children, sticky from barbecued chicken and frenzied on the promise of free ice-pops, was also taken under consideration in the event’s planning stages.
According to Summerlin, “Something different for us this year was the child identification booth. Children aged eight and under were asked to wear a bracelet that identified the adult they were attending with.”
She went on to say that the church felt the bracelets were necessary due to the growing number of people at the annual outreaches.
After performances by Walk the Line Ministries, local musician Adam Thompson and New Generation Praise Team, the crowd settled in for a firework show that was met with gasps from the young and old alike. Reds, greens and yellows peppered the sky as the glow lit up the people’s faces- fixated on the spectacle.
Richlands resident Holly Bergeron was present, taking pictures on her camera phone.
She said, “it was very nice, a lot more than I expected from a church in such a small town.” She continued, “the show was like like the plot of a good book, it had rising and falling action and I loved the finale.”
As the festivities calmed down and parents began to carry exhausted children home, Beulaville PFWB pastor Tom Penny expressed his elation over the celebration.
“We just had a wonderful 4th of July celebration. The activity booths were great, and we had good food and fireworks. Everything worked out, and I think everyone was blessed by being here,” he said.
When asked if he thought the festivities would grow in the future he replied, “I think next year will be just as good, but we’re always looking to improve if we can.”
