While fewer Fourth of July festivities were held around the county this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, at least three organizations held celebrations.
Big River VFW Post 5331 held an Independence Day event in Cedar Hill. The De Soto Chamber of Commerce held a parade followed by the De Soto Lions Club fireworks show. And, the Meramec Arnold Elks hosted an evening of music, food and fireworks in Imperial.
Cedar Hill
Big River VFW 5331 quartermaster Thomas Herek said the group’s event attracted about 1,500 people.
“It was down from last year,” Herek said of the crowd. “The majority were here for the fireworks.”
He said the event, which featured barbeque and other food and beverages for sale, raised about $3,000 for the post. He said the organizations spent $6,000 on the 15-minute fireworks display that capped the evening.
“We did well, but not as good as we have done. We were happy to do it,” Herek said. “We raise money to help the community and turn around and give it back to them.”
Herek said about half of the crowd at the event wore masks to limit the spread of the coronavirus, and people generally kept 6 feet apart from each other.
“We had signs up asking people to observe social-distancing precautions, and people generally abided by it,” he said.
In the days leading up to the event, Herek said the post received numerous phone calls from those interested in attending a fireworks display, and the event did draw people from throughout the county and a few from out of state.
“We had one couple on vacation from Pennsylvania come in because they heard about the fireworks and barbecue,” he said.
De Soto
The De Soto Chamber of Commerce held the city’s 92nd annual Fourth of July Parade on Main Street in the morning.
Chamber coordinator Sarah Greenlee said the parade had 30 registered participants, which was fewer than usual.
“Normally we can have more than 100 participants,” Greenlee said. “Just to have the parade was a little piece of joy.”
Greenlee said the crowd for the parade was about half the size as usual. She also said chamber members felt those coming to watch the parade would be safe because the length of the parade route could allow them to spread out.
Parade participants were not allowed to hand out candy or other items as a safety precaution this year.
The De Soto Lions Club put on a fireworks display at De Soto High School in the evening, and Larry Bridges, the club’s first vice president and president of the fireworks committee, said the crowd was smaller than in past years.
“We had about 800 people at the high school,” Bridges said. “It is usually 2,000 or 3,000. I was told by the police there were people parked at higher locations around the school, so we don’t know how many people got to watch the fireworks.”
Imperial
The Meramec Arnold Elks’ event attracted about 1,000 people to its club grounds on Miller Road and nearby roads, said Ray Brand, the Elks’ public relations chairman.
Brand said the crowd was treated to a longer fireworks display than normal because the Elks spent about $6,000 for the show, about twice what it typically allocates for the display,.
“We had a good show that lasted about an hour,” Brand said. “We thought it would be good to have it because people have been cooped up and this was a way to celebrate.”
The R5 Band performed throughout the evening, and hamburgers, bratwursts and hot dogs were available. The event also featured a truck selling shaved ice.
“We encouraged people to do social distancing and wear masks, we had signs up encouraging that,” Brand said. “I think they pretty much did that. It was a good show, and we were happy with it.”
Cancellations
Several annual Independence Day celebrations were canceled this year, including the city of Arnold’s Fourth of July at Arnold City Park, the Twin City Firecracker Extravaganza, the Hillsboro Community Civic Club fireworks show and city of Eureka’s event.