Young And Old Alike Celebrate Twin City’s Star-Spangled Fourth Of July

By Amy Hunter
Reporter / Bristol Herald Courier
Published: July 6, 2008

BRISTOL, Va. – Bristolians young and old came out for the Twin City’s Star-Spangled Fourth of July celebration on Saturday – and most said the festivities didn’t disappoint.

“My 4-year-old has never seen a parade before,” said Blountville, Tenn., resident LeighAnn Yarber. “He really didn’t understand the concept until we got here. ... He liked the bikers the most. He was wide-eyed with his mouth open.”

Yarber sat along State Street in downtown Bristol on Saturday, watching the July 4th parade with her two young sons and her two young brothers-in-law – who are 10 and 12.

“It’s a day to celebrate our freedom and be glad that we have people who care that much about us that they’ll fight for us,” she said.

Yarber said she and her family planned to take part in two of the three other celebrations planned for Saturday. Although she was skipping the Family Fun event at Cumberland Square Park after the morning parade, she planned to join friends and family later at Bristol Motor Speedway for the UARA race and fireworks display to follow, she said.

But her family celebration was not limited to Saturday’s events, she said. Friday night, she celebrated Independence Day in a more somber manner. She and her kids spent the evening with a dear family friend who returned from Iraq two years ago.

“We just did what he wanted to do – just stay home and be peaceful. We watched [the movie] ‘Flags of Our Fathers,’ ” she said. “You really don’t stop to think about how much it means to you until you have a loved one who’s gone over there and fought. It was a blessing from the Lord that he came back.”

When Yarber’s family left at the conclusion of the parade, hundreds of other folks headed to Cumberland Square Park where musicians performed patriotic songs, countless people enjoyed hot dogs and potato chips, and children bounced about in giant inflatables.

Elbert Creed was one of the participants. At 81, the World War II veteran and Bristol, Va., resident for 30 years was awash in emotion during the singing of “God Bless America.”

“I was off Okinawa on Aug. 6 [1945] when the Enola Gay dropped the first [atomic] bomb,” he said. “A Catholic priest on our vessel declared the war was over. When we off-loaded on the island, there were still 2,500 samurai who refused to surrender.”

Creed fought back tears when recalling the violent days of World War II, but he said he was moved and proud on Saturday at the celebration.

Bristolians of all ages came together on Saturday for the joyous celebration. Children scurried playfully at the feet of their parents and grandparents, while older folks paused to honor the sacrifices of other Americans.

“It makes me want to put my head down and cry,” Creed said. “It makes me very proud. I have people that come up to me here and say ‘thank you for your service,’ and I say to them, ‘no, thank you.’ ”

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