Williamsburg plans fireworks for this Saturday; Corbin considering display during NIBROC

Williamsburg organizers are hoping to still celebrate Independence Day with a bang only a little late and hope the third time will be the charm.

The fireworks celebration in Williamsburg has been rescheduled for about 9:30 p.m. Saturday night, while Corbin is looking at making the fireworks part of the annual Nibroc festival.

Corbin officials originally planned their fireworks show for July 3 and Williamsburg for July 4, but both shows initially got postponed until July 6 due to the weather. Then both shows were again postponed due to even more rain on July 6.

"All the regular festivities that were going to be held on the fourth at the waterpark will be held at the same time this Saturday," said Williamsburg Mayor Roddy Harrison.

Harrison noted that the rain would not even subside enough on July 6 for the fireworks to even be loaded.

"As it turned out, it was just a nasty day," Harrison said. "The long range forecast kind of shows Saturday as looking pretty decent so we are just going to keep our fingers crossed and go from there."

Harrison said that if weather prevents the fireworks show from taking place on Saturday, then the event will probably be canceled this year.

"It depends on what the cost is. If we have to pay a huge penalty by canceling then we will obviously postpone them again," he added. "We will look at that."

Williamsburg festivities

Registration for the annual Sid Strunk Corn Toss Tournament will take place at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Kentucky Splash Waterpark followed by the actual tournament at 4 p.m.

There is a $10 entry fee per player in the double elimination tournament.

There is a $200 guaranteed payout with games being played rain or shine. An earlier story incorrectly stated that there would be a $300-guarenteed payout.

"Sid was really a great person as far as the corn toss tournaments here. He was just an outstanding man to work with us on not only this program but Old Fashioned Trading Days too," said Williamsburg Tourism Director Alvin Sharpe.

Nighttime festivities will start Saturday at the Kentucky Splash Waterpark at 7 p.m. with the Picnic in the Park under the pavilion. Grilled hotdogs, chips and a drink will be sold for $3.

The hotdog eating contest will follow at 7:30 p.m. There is no gate entry fee at the waterpark after 7 p.m.

At 8 p.m., the Eighth Annual Duck Derby will take place in the lazy river. The grand prize will be $500.

Proceeds from the duck derby will go to benefit the Shop with a Cop program.

Fireworks will take place at dark, by Pyro Shows out of Lafollette, Tenn.

"They do some of the biggest shows. They do that big one in Knoxville and they have one in Washington, D.C. They do them all over the United States. They are huge and have always done a great job for us," Sharpe noted.

Police and emergency service personnel will be on hand at the waterpark to direct traffic that night, and traffic along Ky. 92W will be stopped after the fireworks to let traffic out of the waterpark.

"Police will be at intersections to help get them out and get them on the interstate or wherever they are going," Sharpe said. "It is going to be a great show and we urge everyone to come out."

Fourth of July festivities in Williamsburg weren’t a total washout last week due to the weather.

The WEKC gospel music concert went off as planned on the courthouse square on July 4.

The Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution held their annual "Let Freedom Ring" bell ringing ceremony in honor of the 13 original colonies at 2 p.m. Thursday, but moved the event inside the Hutton School of Business.

The block party was still held Friday but at the Williamsburg Tourism and Convention Center instead of at Bill Woods Park.
Last Saturday’s first ever community yard sale still took place on the courthouse square, and Harrison noted it went pretty well considering the weather.

"We had a few vendors come in and they sold a few items and had a good time and people came by," Harrison said. "Before it started raining, people were pulling in and shopping."

He said a lot of other people with items to sell, pulled up Saturday but decided not to get their items out due to the weather and said they would be back in August for the next community wide yard sale.

"I think that is going to be a success. We are actually looking at maybe adding another one in October and maybe having a fall event too, such as a chili cook off," Harrison added.

Corbin fireworks to help kick off Nibroc

With Williamsburg’s fireworks taking place Saturday and a wedding reception planned for Saturday at The Arena, the Corbin Tourism Commission has elected to move the fireworks show to coincide with Nibroc.

At a meeting Tuesday afternoon, the commissioners asked Bruce Carpenter, Executive Director of the Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, to speak with the Corbin Fire Department and the fireworks company about the possibility of shooting off the fireworks Aug. 7 as part of a kickoff celebration for the annual festival.

Carpenter said the fireworks have been shot off from several different places in town, including near the water tower and on the hill coming down Kentucky Ave. from the overpass. He added that the carnival rides are set up Monday and the vendors typically arrive and set up Wednesday. Since the students are out of school on Thursday, Wednesday night would be ideal.

In the event that is not an option, the fireworks could still be held at The Arena.

The commissioners said they will hold a special called meeting at a date to be determined once Carpenter has more details.