GENTRY -- After spotty thunderstorms on Thursday and Friday, the weather was about as good as it gets for the Saturday July 4th Freedom Festival held in Gentry's city park. Though daytime crowds may have been a little smaller than in years past, that all changed in the evening as people filled the park to hear the evening entertainers and watch the spectacular fireworks display set off by the members of the Gentry Volunteer Fire Department.
A noticeable exception to the lighter afternoon crowds was in the annual car show. Classic cars and trucks -- and a few bikes too -- lined the circle walk at the north end of the park, with a second row behind the first in many spots. And the cars and trucks represented the classics from the early to mid 1900s all the way up to some of the classiest of late-model hot rods and big-boy toys.
Children once again enjoyed the inflatable rides, as well as rides on a camel and donkeys from the Safari. Adults visited the many vendor tents and watched their children and grandchildren play from the shade of trees in the park.
Softball tournaments continued throughout the day as teams from across the region battled for the tournament championship.
On the stage, young children vied for top honors as Miss and Mister Gentry in the young children's pageant divisions. The children's songs and antics entertained all.
And, on the music stage, Kaylin Cripps and her band, followed by the ShotGunBillys and then Chris Lane and his band, kept things upbeat and entertaining until the "oohs" and "aahs" of the fireworks display stole away the show and demanded everyone's attention.
After Old Glory ascended to her place on a new, lighted flag stand in the park, the explosions began and fire filled the sky as a reminder of the cannon fire which lit up the skies of America in times past during battles fought to secure the liberties which Americans still enjoy today.
General News on 07/08/2015