Annette Beard
American flags waved gently in the evening breeze along Weston Street Sunday evening as sounds of guitar music carried to nearby neighborhoods.
People sat on blankets, in lawn chairs, on tailgates visiting, tapping their feet to the music, watching children play and enjoying the moderate summer evening as they waited for the fireworks show to begin. The occasional splash of water could be heard as another person hit the target plummeting the young man perched high in the dunk booth into the cool water below.
Ministering to the community, members of First Assembly of God Church sponsor the annual Freedom Fest on the last Sunday of June.
"We couldn't do it without the other churches," pastor Edwin Brewer said, adding that it's a group effort with members of other churches providing food, music and assistance.
The ninth annual Freedom Fest began slowly, Brewer said, but the crowd grew steadily until more than 2,000 gathered on the lawn around First Assembly of God on Weston Street Sunday, June 28.
A free dinner was served to more than 2,000 with many more enjoying the quarter of an hour of fireworks donated by Brewer's company, USA Fireworks. Pea Ridge firefighters ignited the fireworks from within the youth baseball fields on Weston Street.
Music was provided by First Assembly of God, River of Faith, New Life Fellowship and The Ridge Community Church, according to David Austin with The Ridge.
Larry Moore, First Assembly district superintendent, spoke to the crowd before the fireworks show began.
New Life Fellowship provided bounce houses. Cotton candy and watermelon were served.
Community on 07/01/2015