After Mathews County officials announced a burn ban last week—a ban that included fireworks—it was touch-and-go whether there would be a July 4th fireworks show in Mathews this year. But word came down from the board of supervisors late Monday that the burn ban had been lifted, and the show is on once again.
The event will be held tonight, Thursday, July 4, at Mathews High School, with Rip Tide the Southern Rock Mafia (formerly Rip Tide) kicking off at 6 p.m., playing hits from Lynyrd Skynyrd, Molly Hatchet, Blackberry Smoke, and other Southern rock artists. The band has been named the top cover band of the year three years in a row by River Guide Magazine.
The Piankatank Ruritan Club will sell concessions beginning at 6, and the Mathews Volunteer Fire Department will be on hand selling $1 raffle tickets for a chance on a Solo Grill donated by Horn’s Ace Hardware in Gloucester, a picnic table donated by M&M Hardware in Mathews, or a boat detailing bucket donated by NAPA of Gloucester. The drawing will be held at Mathews Market Days, with proceeds used to purchase equipment. The Wes Griffith family will be selling quart-sized jugs of lemonade and limeade for $5, with a range of additional flavors available.
At around 9 p.m., Mathews High School Talent Show winner Hailey Denkinger will sing the National Anthem, and the fireworks will begin lighting up the sky by 9:10 or 9:15 p.m.
Organizer and certified pyrotechnician Jeremy Elliott said he had given his crew the go-ahead to pick up the fireworks on Tuesday morning, and they were expected in the county by Tuesday afternoon. He said he has ordered “a few extra shells here and there” and expects the show, widely known as one of the best in the region, to be “a tad bit longer” than usual.
Parking will be on-site, with overflow at Thomas Hunter Middle School and a free shuttle bus.
York River fireworks
Mathews isn’t the only place in the area to catch a July 4 fireworks show.
Beginning at 9:15 p.m. on Thursday, July 4, fireworks will light up the sky over the York River in an annual community tradition.
The best places to view the show are along the York-town waterfront and at the Victory Monument on Main Street, according to a release from York County. The fireworks can also be seen from Gloucester Point Beach.
Due to the expected crowds, there are policies and procedures in place to make it an enjoyable experience for all those who visit, the York County release stated.
Free parking for the July 4th evening activities, including the fireworks show, is on the Yorktown Battlefield located at the corner of Cook Road and Ballard Street. Battlefield parking opens at 4 p.m. and closes once it reaches capacity.
Guests are encouraged to arrive early. It is important to note that the walk from the Yorktown Battlefield parking area to the waterfront is approximately one mile and includes hills and uneven terrain. Please note that the Colonial Parkway leading into Yorktown is currently closed due to maintenance.
At the conclusion of the fireworks, Yorktown will be temporarily closed to incoming traffic, including any pick-up services, so that sheriff’s deputies may assist vehicles in safely exiting Yorktown. Depending on the size of the crowd, the process should take approximately one hour.
Those requiring handicapped parking and special assistance should report to Yorktown Middle School from 4 to 7 p.m., and must be checked in no later than 7 o’clock to take advantage of this service. Transportation is provided for the disabled or special needs individual and one friend or family member as escort. Drop-off is at Riverwalk Landing, approximately 200 yards from the performance area. Due to limited shuttle capacity, all other individuals in the party will need to park at the Yorktown Battlefield.
Once the shuttle is parked at the waterfront at 7:30 p.m., it will remain there until after the fireworks—with the first trip back to York Middle School beginning at 9:45 p.m. Return trips take place until 10:30 p.m. Each person must possess a pass to board the shuttle.
While visitors are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets and coolers, alcoholic beverages are prohibited. There will be several Yorktown restaurants open for business, and several to-go options at the Patriotic Food Pavilion, which will be open from 3 to 9:15 p.m. The food trucks and vendors set up at the Patriotic Food Pavilion on Riverwalk Landing include local favorites: Coastal Thirst, Kona Ice, Boyd’s Tasty Dogs, Island Time Delights, Pop’s Kettle Corn, and Snack Attack.
Other festivities include a 7 p.m. performance of the Fifes and Drums of York Town, followed by a reading of the Declaration of Independence and the Sounds of Liberty Bell Ringing Ceremony, all on the Riverwalk Landing Stage. At 8, a Super Jazz Band Concert featuring Conni Ironmonger will take the stage.
The fireworks display begins at 9:15.
For more information, visit www.visityorktown.org.
Gloucester Point Beach
The Gloucester County Sheriff’s Office will be on-site at the Gloucester Point Beach, providing traffic control and event security. Upon conclusion of the fireworks, both lanes of traffic on Greate Road will be directed northbound to allow for traffic to clear more easily.
There will be no southbound traffic on Greate Road at that time, the sheriff’s office reported. Traffic will then continue to leave the area north on Route 17 at the Camp Okee Drive intersection. For those needing to head south across the Coleman Bridge, the GCSO advises to continue north until a safe intersection for a U-turn can be found.
“We also ask that as you leave the beach on foot, please stay on the sidewalk and not in the roadway as this impedes the two-lane traffic flow departing the area,” the GCSO announcement stated. Deputies will be on scene to keep vehicles moving on Greate Road as well as to look out for people’s safety.