Annette Beard
Nearly 2,000 people attended the 11th annual Freedom Fest Sunday evening.
Boys playing ball ran circles around people settled down on blankets as they played ball. Several people had their dogs with them. Children played and relaxed enjoying their dinner, treats and fellowship.
Some people sat in chairs across the grounds listening to the rhythmic gospel music, clapping to the beat.
Hundreds of people lined up to take advantage of the free meal, snow cones, cotton candy and watermelon. Many took a turn throwing a ball at a target to dunk people seated in the dunk tank.
Children jumped in bounce houses, blew bubbles while waiting in line or just wandered around visiting with friends.
"It's great," Edwin Brewer said. "It's a good turnout!"
Brewer, pastor of Assembly of God and owner of USA Fireworks, donates the fireworks. He credited both his members and other churches' members for the volunteer spirit that pulls the huge event together.
Brewer, who said this is his busy time of year with the fireworks company, credited church member Judy Majors with the bulk of the work pulling together the volunteers and all the work necessary to host the event.
The Joyous Belles, a chime group, played music prior to the event beginning, but then went to serve food and drink to the people attending.
Bands from Westside Baptist Church, the Ridge Community Church, First Assembly of God and River of God played music and sang gospel and praise songs to the crowds.
As the sun set, volunteers Cooper Smith, Michael Keeland, Corey Dutton, Cory Duffy, Dylan Junior and Camron Keene assisted Brewer in setting out boxes and boxes of fireworks. Two Pea Ridge firefighters, brothers Justin and Cory Lawson, donned their protective fire gear to ignite the fireworks.
For about 30 minutes, fireworks lit the night skies with white, yellow, blue and red. Residents of the area watched the display from the ball field, the church grounds and from around town.
Judy Majors said sponsors included Tysons, Pea Ridge Walmart Neighborhood Market, Pea Ridge Vet Clinic, Arvest Bank, Optimist Club, Sam's Club, Beavers Farms, Sisco Funeral Home, Oak View Animal Clinic, Pea Ridge Upholstery, CVT Towing, Webb's Feed Store, Blackhawk Auto and Tire, Webb Flooring, Trotter Tree Trimming, Little Debbie, USA Fireworks, area churches, Pea Ridge Tire Shop, Sonic, White Oak, Diego's, Victoria's, O'Reilly's, House of Websters, Pizza Hut, Simple Simons, Warehouse 19, Head Hunters, Vision Hair Salon, Jim's Razorback, Cannonball Cafe, Golden Corral, Freddy's, Pioneer Flea Market, CiCi's Pizza, Steak 'N Shake, Monte Ne Inn, Domino Pizza, Sam's Olde Time Burgers, Colton's, Catfish John's, Bobcat, Bentonville Kentucky Fried Chicken and T.H. Rogers Lumber Co.
Community on 06/28/2017