The annual Independence Day celebration brought thousands to the Wilkesboros Wednesday afternoon and evening to soak in live music, an emergency vehicle parade and fireworks display.
The Central Business District Loop below Main Street in North Wilkesboro and the area along Wilkesboro Avenue were particularly packed with onlookers. Some even began parking in the early afternoon to ensure they had a good vantage point to view the festivities.
The celebration began with Marketplace Meltdown from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Yadkin Valley Marketplace along the CBD Loop in North Wilkesboro. The Starlighters, a swing band from Lenoir, performed live music starting at 7 p.m., and after a break they continued with patriotic songs as the first fireworks were launched from Memorial Park around 9:30 p.m.
“It was great having the Starlighters perform patriotic tunes leading up to the fireworks display,” said Crystal Keener, North Wilkesboro tourism director and Downtown North Wilkesboro Partnership director. “And a lot of attendees came out early to sample the food truck variety and watch the parade. The Town likes when residents use the Marketplace as a gathering spot and they certainly did that in great numbers on July 4th.”
The fireworks display was again sponsored by the Wilkes Law Enforcement Officers Association, the Wilkes Journal-Patriot, and Wilkesboro, North Wilkesboro and county governments.
The weather in North Wilkesboro and the surrounding area was near perfect for the event, with mostly clear skies and temperatures in the upper 70s as night fell.
Preceding the North Wilkesboro fireworks was the 27th annual Great American Fire Truck Parade through the two towns, which rolled out promptly at 8 p.m. Presented by the Wilkes County Fire and Rescue Association, it featured around 75 fire trucks and other emergency vehicles, including vehicles from the town police departments, the N.C. Highway Patrol and the Wilkes Sheriff’s Department.
The vehicle that traveled the farthest to drive the parade was from Fork Volunteer Fire Department in Davie County, according to Jackie Wright of the Wilkesboro Fire Department. Broadway brought its 1950 truck, and Pleasant Hill its 1958 model engine, according to Wright.
“We had a large spectator turnout and the kids were all excited to see the fire trucks and emergency vehicles,” said Wright. “The guys and girls work hard all year to serve and protect their communities, so it’s a fun night for them to show off their equipment.”
The parade started at West Park in North Wilkesboro and proceeded right on D Street, right on the Central Business District Loop, right on Sixth Street and then right on Cherry Street to Wilkesboro Avenue. It then passed over the Yadkin River to Main Street, Wilkesboro, turned right on Main Street and proceeded through downtown Wilkesboro before ending at the intersection of Main Street and Curtis Bridge Road.
The fireworks display lasted just under a half hour. The grand finale, which filled the sky above North Wilkesboro, brought loud cheers echoing from all directions.
Hale Artificier, Inc., from Lexington once again handled the pyrotechnic duties, as they’ve done for the past 10 to 12 years, according to Niki Hamby, fire investigator with the Wilkes Sheriff’s Office. “Everything went smoothly,” said Hamby. “There were no problems at all.”
Almost 700 shells were detonated during the show, at a cost of nearly $11,000, according to Hamby. That figure was an increase of about $1,000 over 2017.
The North Wilkesboro Fire Department had trucks and personnel stationed at Memorial Park during the fireworks display. The Wilkes Sheriff’s Department’s bomb squad searched the grounds for any unexploded fireworks shells after the display.
After the fireworks, North Wilkesboro police officers directed traffic, with emphasis on funneling traffic onto main roads to keep the flow of voluminous vehicles moving.
North Wilkesboro Town Manager Larry South noted that “traffic was handled efficiently by both police and fire.” He noted that the event was “well attended and a beautiful evening with a sky full of fireworks and drones. I was glad to see so many departments from out of Wilkes County represented in the parade.”
South’s comments were echoed by Joe Rankin, North Wilkesboro police chief. “It was a very successful event again this year,” said Rankin. “We had a very large turnout of people, but they were very well behaved. There were no accidents or calls for service. Overall it was a very peaceful, quiet and good event.
“Traffic was congested, but people were very patient in getting out. We brought in extra officers just to make the exit easier. We directed traffic until about 10:30 p.m., but it flowed very well considering how many vehicles were out there.” 
