‘The rockets’ red glare’
Published 5:20 pm Tuesday, July 5, 2022
Jennifer and Jada Askew watch the fireworks with Blake and Victoria Sewell. Stephen Faleski | The Smithfield Times
Nick Blevins, dressed in colonial garb, reads a passage from the Declaration of Independence at the 1750 Isle of Wight Courthouse on Main Street. Stephen Faleski | The Smithfield Times
Amanda Trosen and her daughter, Molly Lee Trosen, wave American flags at the concert. Stephen Faleski | The Smithfield Times
Gloria Robertson and Willie Gines Sr. watch the concert from the parking lot outside the Smithfield Times office. Stephen Faleski | The Smithfield Times
Billy and Sharon Holleman dressed for the occasion, both donning red, white and blue for the concert. Stephen Faleski | The Smithfield Times
The York River Concert Band performs a variety of patriotic and marching tunes in front of Smithfield’s LOVE sign. Stephen Faleski | The Smithfield Times
Hamtown Mercantile, a community marketplace operations out of the former Laura & Lucy’s antiques store, opened its doors to customers for the first time on July 1. A grand opening ceremony is planned for August. Stephen Faleski | The Smithfield Times
Independence Day festivities came three days early in Smithfield, starting July 1 with costumed reenactors reading the Declaration of Independence at the 1750 Isle of Wight Courthouse and the York River Concert Band playing patriotic and marching tunes in front of Smithfield’s LOVE sign.
The date coincided with Hometown Mercantile’s first day open for business. The community marketplace, operating out of the former Laura & Lucy’s antique store, has been renovating the historic storefront for months. It now houses more than 30 vendors, including the former Gimme Shelter thrift store, which has reopened as “Gimme Shelter’s Attic” in a booth inside Hamtown Mercantile.
The evening culminated with fireworks launched from Clontz Park, with spectators lining the Cypress Creek Bridge and Smithfield Station to watch.
0172 – The Gimme Shelter thrift store, which closed its doors in January after operating out of a converted Main Street gas station for 12 years, reopened as “Gimme Shelter’s Attic” as one of Hometown Mercantile’s vendors on July 1.
