RED, WHITE & BOOM!
Fireworks, neighborhood parades essence of unchanging July 4 celebration
Fireworks illuminate the Memphis skyline during the annual Independence Day Fireworks Spectacular presented by the Memphis River Parks Partnership on July 4, 2019. (Jim Weber/Daily Memphian)
A rainbow illuminates a crowd of kids as they dance in the spray of the fire hose after the 70th annual Independence Day Parade in the High Point Terrace neighborhood on July 4, 2019. The patriotic gathering was one of several Fourth of July parades throughout Memphis Thursday. (Jim Weber/Daily Memphian)
Neighbors gather to watch the parade as it passes on Mimosa Avenue during the 70th annual Independence Day Parade in the High Point Terrace neighborhood on July 4, 2019. Once again East Memphis residents gathered for a patriotic morning of star-spangled bikes, waving neighbors and a dousing by the Memphis Fire Department. (Jim Weber/Daily Memphian)
Todd Sparks helps face painter Michelle Chambers keep his daughter Marjorie, 3, still as she gets adorned after the annual Fourth of July parade in the Cooper-Young neighborhood on July 4, 2019. (Jim Weber/Daily Memphian)
Dressed as Betsy Ross, Susan B. Anthony, and the original American flag respectively, Ellie Palmer, Virginia Smart and Lilly Loggin lead the Central Gardens neighborhood’s Fourth of July parade Thursday, July 4, 2019. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)
Shantih Smythe helps young Jayden Palacios get his hat on just before the beginning of Central Gardens' Independence Day parade on Thursday. July 4, 2019. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)
Four-year-old Lily Priestley makes her own cloud of bubbles before the start of the 70th annual Independence Day Parade in the High Point Terrace neighborhood on July 4, 2019. (Jim Weber/Daily Memphian)
C.J. Weaver adjusts his cape as folks line up for the 70th annual Independence Day Parade in the High Point Terrace neighborhood on July 4, 2019. East Memphis residents gathered for a patriotic morning of star-spangled bikes, waving neighbors and a dousing by the Memphis Fire Department. (Jim Weber/Daily Memphian)
Lisa St. Gelais (left) hangs flags as a backdrop during the 70th annual Independence Day Parade in the High Point Terrace neighborhood on July 4, 2019. (Jim Weber/Daily Memphian)
Cullen Weeden (left) and Ronan Keough (right) enjoy the impromptu splash pad provided by the Memphis Fire Department after the conclusion of the Central Gardens Fourth of July parade. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)
Fireworks illuminate the city during the annual Independence Day Fireworks Spectacular presented by the Memphis River Parks Partnership on July 4, 2019. (Jim Weber/Daily Memphian)
Ginger the dog soaks up the attention from Wake Gordon as Izzie Cochran looks on Thursday, July 4, 2019. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)
A crowd of kids dance in the spray of the fire hose after the 70th annual Independence Day Parade in the High Point Terrace neighborhood on July 4, 2019. Once again East Memphis residents gathered for a patriotic morning of star-spangled bikes, waving neighbors and a dousing by the Memphis Fire Department. (Jim Weber/Daily Memphian)
Parade-goers line up during the 70th annual Independence Day Parade in the High Point Terrace neighborhood on July 4, 2019. Once again East Memphis residents gathered for a patriotic morning of star spangled bikes, waving neighbors and a dousing by the Memphis Fire Department. (Jim Weber/Daily Memphian)
Myra Patterson (right) and Joseph Miller (left) from the Museworthies react as fellow band member Jim Bement does a riff on the song "Grand Old Flag" after the annual Fourth of July parade in the Cooper Young neighborhood on July 4, 2019. (Jim Weber/Daily Memphian)
Isabella Getschman leaps over a puddle at the corner of Willett Street and Carr Avenue after splashing around underneath the fire engine-turned-splashpad Thursday, July 4, 2019. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)
Joni and John Chalmers peddle their PPV (person powered vehicle) down Carr Avenue during the Central Gardens Fourth of July parade. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)
Scarlet Pentecost, 3, pops clouds of bubbles from one of the floats at the 70th annual Independence Day Parade in the High Point Terrace neighborhood on July 4, 2019. Once again East Memphis residents gathered for a patriotic morning of star-spangled bikes, waving neighbors and a dousing by the Memphis Fire Department. (Jim Weber/Daily Memphian)
Cooper Bruce struggles a little with his flag-carrying harness before the start of the 70th annual Independence Day Parade in the High Point Terrace neighborhood on July 4, 2019. Once again East Memphis residents gathered for a patriotic morning of star-spangled bikes, waving neighbors and a dousing by the Memphis Fire Department. (Jim Weber/Daily Memphian)
A rainbow illuminates Jacai Foster (center) and a crowd of kids as they dance in the spray of the fire hose after the 70th annual Independence Day Parade in the High Point Terrace neighborhood on July 4, 2019. Once again East Memphis residents gathered for a patriotic morning of star-spangled bikes, waving neighbors and a dousing by the Memphis Fire Department. (Jim Weber/Daily Memphian)
Two-year-old Anne Tipton Rogers relaxes in the cool runoff from the fire hose as kids play in the spray after the 70th annual Independence Day Parade in the High Point Terrace neighborhood on July 4, 2019. Once again East Memphis residents gathered for a patriotic morning of star-spangled bikes, waving neighbors and a dousing by the Memphis Fire Department. (Jim Weber/Daily Memphian)
The Fourth ended with rockets blazing in the dark and independent bursts in neighborhoods that went late into the night.
Topics
Central Gardens Fourth of JulyJane Roberts
Jane Roberts has reported in Memphis for more than 20 years. As a senior member of The Daily Memphian staff, she was assigned to the medical beat during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also has done in-depth work on other medical issues facing our community, including shortages of specialists in local hospitals. She covered K-12 education here for years and later the region’s transportation sector, including Memphis International Airport and FedEx Corp.
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