Community gathers for Blevins fireworks show

BLEVINS – There was a packed parking lot behind the Blevins Elementary School Sunday night for the 10th Annual July 4 Fireworks Show.

Tim Choate, organizer of the event and chief of the Blevins Volunteer Fire Department, said this should have been the 12th year, but it had to be cancelled twice; once because of a severe drought and last year due to COVID-19. While the 2021 event was slightly toned down (as only hot dogs were served instead of hamburgers and hot dogs), it didn’t stop members of the community from packing the parking lot to watch the show.

Choate said the fireworks cost more this year than before because of the tariffs and China being shut down because of COVID and the manufacturing of fireworks only getting started again. However, with leftover fireworks from the 2019 show, they only spent about $1,500 for new devices.

The hot dogs were grilled, using Choate’s special method of having a hamburger patty on the grill and using the juices from it to help season the hot dogs, and taken to the cafeteria where they were put in buns and bagged with chips.

The show began a little after 9 p.m. when it was good and dark, lasting roughly 25 minutes.