It’s July 3rd. My dad is one of the main hosts of our Fourth of July block party. He coordinates the food, games, and firework show. This all takes place in my grandma’s tiny neighborhood street in the countryside of South Carolina. Everyone in our small town of Manning knows my grandma and the family. Sometimes planning this can be stressful for my aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.
Typically my Aunts prepare the food. The food preparations can be tricky since good caterers are rarely available. Dad’s sisters and brothers also live in South Carolina. Everyone comes together for decorations and deciding on who cooks what food. Twenty-five years we’ve brought people together from our family and our friends on our small street.
It’s basically a reunion for everyone to come together and have fun. We drive all the way from Virginia to South Carolina, a six hour car trip, on July 3rd. We all anticipate the next day of fireworks, food, and family. Usually, I sleep the entire way. A good trip for me because I’m comfortable with a blanket and a pillow. My dad takes the liberty of buying all the fireworks to incorporate into our fireworks show towards the end of the block party.
As I ride, I picture the special holiday food and all the dishes I only get to enjoy this certain time of the year. Such as my aunt’s perlo rice, deviled eggs, and banana pudding cake. Since I only get to eat that when I go to my grandma’s house, it makes me happy to have a good home cooked meal from my family. Not only does it make me happy but my mom has always loved the food. Sometimes she gets a little feisty over the servings because she enjoys it so much.
When the party actually starts, my dad creates fun games. He coordinates them so the kids to win money. We find certain items from family and bring them to him. A scavenger hunt. Whoever finds the most items gets twenty bucks. Then he converts over to some games for the adults as well after the kids have enjoyed theirs.
The thing that gets everyone excited is the fireworks show. When the sun sets, my dad will start rounding my cousins up to help. Usually, he will buy at least twenty different fireworks and light them one after another. The kids get sparklers as well to hold and play around with, me and my mom typically light it for them. Then the night settles down and the music goes on and the partying never rests, even after I fall asleep after midnight in my grandma’s bed. I always feel so at peace when I get a getaway from my usual hometown to see family.
There’s nothing better than that.
