BLUFF FUN: July 4 celebrated with music, games, fireworks on the river
Published 12:34 am Friday, July 5, 2024
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Crowds gather to watch the fireworks on the Mississippi River on Thursday for July 4. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
Fireworks explode over the Mississippi River on Thursday during July 4 celebrations. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
Crowds gather to watch the fireworks on the Mississippi River on Thursday for July 4. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
Sarah Lindsey Laukhuff sells one of her Live@Five tyedye t-shirts that she dyed in her home kitchen to Charlie Augden. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
Special Olympic athlete Gregory Anderson is recognized Thursday by officials during July 4 activities on the Natchez Bluff. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
Special Olympic athletes are recognized Thursday by officials during July 4 activities on the Natchez Bluff. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
Alderman Billie Joe Frazier speaks to attendees of the July 4 activities on the Natchez Bluff on Thursday. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
Special Olympic athletes are recognized Thursday by officials during July 4 activities on the Natchez Bluff. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
Tema Larry performs the Star Spangled Banner during July 4 activities Thursday on the Natchez Bluff. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
Alderman Billie Joe Frazier places a medal around the neck of Special Olympic athlete Alan Pitman. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
Special Olympic athlete Deondre Woods is recognized Thursday by Natchez officials during July 4 festivites on the Natchez Bluff. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
Lynn Smith and her granddaughter Anna Blair Emfinger cool off with snow cones just before July 4 activities on the Natchez Bluff. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
Cha Cha Boo kicks off the live music at Live@Five starting at 3 p.m. for bluff goers during the July 4 festivities on the Natchez Bluff. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
Cha Cha Boo kicks off the live music at Live@Five starting at 3 p.m. for bluff goers during the July 4 festivities on the Natchez Bluff. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
Crowds gather on the Natchez Bluff on Thursday for July 4 festivities. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
Charlie Augden wears his patriotic shirt for July 4 on the Natchez Bluff. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
Tom Graning, owner of Wardo’s, cooks hotdogs during July 4 festivities on the bluff.
(Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
Cha Cha Boo kicks off the live music at Live@Five starting at 3 p.m. for bluff goers during the July 4 festivities on the Natchez Bluff. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
Cha Cha Boo kicks off the live music at Live@Five starting at 3 p.m. for bluff goers during the July 4 festivities on the Natchez Bluff. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
Patriotic colors decorate the bandstand and the Natchez Bluff for Live@Five on July 4. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
Kim Allred and husband Dave Allred from Crosby enjoy music from Live@5 at 3 on July 4 on the Natchez Bluff.
(Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
Cynthia Reed enjoys live music from the bandstand on the Natchez Bluff on July 4. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
Brody Hood celebrates a good throw from his dad Brandon Hood while playing a round of cornhole on the Natchez Bluff. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
Brody Hood makes a toss during a game of cornhole with his family while his mom Kaylee Hood watches behind him.
(Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
Brandon Hood hands a bean bag to his son Beaux while playing a round of patriotic cornhole on the Natchez Bluff. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
Disc golf practice is among the games and activities offered on the Natchez Bluff Thursday for July 4. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
Brody Hood makes a toss during a game of cornhole with his dad Brandon Hood while his mom Kaylee Hood and brother Beaux Hood watch. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
NATCHEZ — Hundreds of men, women and children braved the heat to celebrate July 4 on the Natchez Bluff Thursday in honor of the braver men and women who fought for their freedoms.
Natchez celebrated American independence in style with musical performances at the first Live@Five event to ever start at 3 p.m. a
“Live@Five at 3 on the Fourth,” organizer Sarah Lindsey Laukhuff jokingly called it.
She stayed for the party and sold hundreds of Live@Five T-shirts, which she dyed by hand in her home kitchen.
Cha Cha Boo kicked off the music selections followed by Lincoln Outfit and Mira.Got.Soul.
Around 6 p.m. Mayor Dan Gibson and other city officials recognized the local Special Olympics athletes who participated in the statewide event at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi.
“These young ladies and men really represented Natchez well,” Alderman Billie Joe Frazier said. “I’d like to see more support for our Special Olympics because they really need it.”
Alderman Curtis Moroney added how proud he is to be from Natchez and take part in such fellowship as celebrated on July 4.
“I’m really proud to be from Natchez and this is another one of those days when it is a great time to be in Natchez,” he said. “We’re going to have a spectacular sunset in a while and its events like this when we all come together, share some time and just experience what it’s like to be from a small town. You can’t find that in a big city. There is nowhere like Natchez.”
The culmination of the festivities was the annual Fourth of July Fireworks Extravaganza, a grand display of fireworks shot off from the Mississippi River for the entire Miss-Lou to see, thanks to the sponsors who donate to the nonprofit Miss Lou Fireworks organized by Sabrina Doré.
Enjoy these scenes in the gallery above from the festivities on Thursday, July 4.