The Independence Day celebration at Pratt Park in Stafford County was a wonderful experience for my family.
It was our first time attending the event and our first time visiting Pratt Park, which overlooks the Rappahannock River. We were surprised at the size and openness of the park, capable of accommodating so many people to celebrate our nation’s 247th birthday.
The smell of barbeque from the nearby food trucks wafted over us and the other hundreds of people who attended. Children played frisbee games and stored together and waived a colorful parachute, and some families brought awnings and card tables, sat around, and reconnected with each other as if the park were their back porch.
I took my 3-year-old to the children’s playground, where I had never seen so many children claiming up leaders and using the slides. The complimentary goodie bags from Stafford County Parks and Recreation Department were a nice touch (my child really enjoyed her frisbee).
The star of this show was the fireworks, which captivated the crowd shortly after the sunset. As a child and later as a young adult, we spent many Independence Days on the National Mall for the annual “A Capital 4th” celebration. I enjoy a good fireworks show, and Stafford’s did not disappoint.
A special thank goes out to the men and women of the Stafford County Sheriff’s and Fire and Rescue departments for keeping everyone at the event safe. And a special thanks to the Massad-Rappahannock YMMC for opening up your parking lot for us to use after the lot at Pratt Park filled up, and sheriff’s deputies closed the entrance.
Pro tip: Arrive at the park early and spend the day with friends and family. We plan to do just that next year.
Finally, this event would be an excellent opportunity for businesses in the region to offer up some sponsorship cash in exchange for branding before, during, and after the event. There is a captive, diverse audience at this event that will only continue to grow in the years to come.
We urge the county’s parks department to open up this event for corporate sponsorship and to promote it far and wide.
