Let the countdown to America’s 250th birthday begin.
Birthday No. 249 in Pine Bluff brought about fireworks for all as usual over Lake Saracen on Friday night. The pyrotechnics were launched from the softball complex at Regional Park, all but filling up the parking lots at the fields, across the lake at Saracen Landing and across Martha Mitchell Expressway.
“The field that’s adjacent, that whole field was full,” said Kerry Battle, director of the Pine Bluff Festival Association, which sponsors the show each year. “There were so many people there. Traffic was crazy, but there were no incidents or altercations. We’re thankful for that.”
Thirty minutes before the 9 p.m. show – which didn’t spare another minute getting underway and lasted 20 minutes – drivers took their parking spots all along Saracen Landing for what Mayor Vivian Flowers called a “beautiful” event.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
“I did not realize how huge this was,” Flowers said. “I just, honestly, thought it was going to be full but not packed. You’ve got people all over the place. You’ve got people all in Regional Park, anywhere off Martha Mitchell across the street and the courthouse, and then, of course, all here at the lakefront. I don’t have an official estimate, but it’s a lot of people out here and a lot of families, and that’s what’s so beautiful.”
The water indicated fish were biting mightily before glares of red, white, blue and then some streaked across the sky, but ducks and geese trying to spend their holiday on the lake didn’t get much respite as the pops chased them away.
Battle said the Festival Association hopes Pine Bluff’s celebration of America’s sestercentennial – some may call it a quartermillenial or semiquincentennial – will be bigger and better, relaying ideas of an afternoon-long event leading to the nighttime fireworks. Flowers said she wants to grow the event as well.
The Festival Association, Battle added, is looking for sponsorships and donations as it presents annual traditions such as the fireworks and the Enchanted Land of Lights and Legends during the holiday season free of charge. Such contributions, he said, are the backbone of the nonprofit.
“We have various displays that we haven’t shown, but we’re trying to get those sponsored,” Battle said. “We need to focus on upkeep of our displays. We need a total buy-in not just from the citizens but the businesses as well.”
Battle is appreciative of Pine Bluff Police and the Jefferson County sheriff’s office to keep the fireworks show safe, as well as the contributions of local banks and the support of Pine Bluff’s Parks and Recreation and Advertising and Planning departments.
To help the Festival Association, call Battle at (870) 341-0088 or email pbfestivalassociation@gmail.com.
