Mathews County was fortunate to have held its fireworks display on Sunday, rather than Monday, July 4, as severe storms rolled through the area, canceling many nearby fireworks shows, including Yorktown’s. Residents and visitors often flock to the Gloucester Point shorelines to see the Yorktown show, which has been ongoing for over 30 years.

Charles Ingram, spokesperson for the Mathews Fireworks Committee, said Sunday’s show brought out the, "biggest turnout we have ever had." He said he really had no way of estimating the attendance, but thought at least 2,500 packed into the stadium at Mathews High School.

He said vehicles were also lined up and down Buckley Hall Road from Hyco Corner to Ward’s Corner. "People were all along the highway sitting in chairs … in any open space they could find," Ingram said.

The fireworks received high praise from residents and visitors alike, according to Ingram. "Everyone said they were wonderful," he said. "I’ll put them up against anything locally.

"For a small community like Mathews, it’s wonderful to have something like this," Ingram added. "And it was all done by donations."

He said that a representative from the Pennsylvania company that sold the fireworks to the committee said that if they had to come down and put on a show similar to what Mathews did, it would cost anywhere between $55,000 and $60,000. "That gives you an idea of the type of show people got," Ingram said.

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