Bennettsville shines with annual celebration

BENNETTSVILLE — Bennettsville may be a small town, but they know how to throw a big party as evidenced by their July 4th celebration on Saturday from 3-10 p.m. The parking lot behind MCHS was transformed into a summery gala designed to have something for all ages. Even the rain showers that popped up twice during the afternoon did not dampen the crowd’s enthusiasm.

Lining the parking lot’s perimeter, about 20 food trucks served all manner of tantalizing treats. To beat the heat and humidity, people flocked to vendors selling slushies, ice cream and lemonade. Other peddlers were selling BBQ, chicken wings, burgers and hot dogs if you needed a meal. If you just needed a sweet treat, cake slices, cupcakes and other delights were available.

A stage dominated one side of the lot where a DJ spun tunes from a variety of musical genres and eras from 3–6:30 p.m. The MC Steppers also performed. At 6:30, the band Next Level took the stage and played hits from the 70s, 80s and 90s like “Boogie Wonderland,” “This is How We do It,” and “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” that had the crowd dancing joyfully. When the band started playing “Electric Boogie,” about 30 revelers of all ages ran in front of the stage and did the Electric Slide dance which delighted spectators.

For kids and the young at heart, a variety of fun and games were set up near the buildings. Three giant inflatable waterslides provided fun and a cool respite to legions of children and teens. There were also barrel train rides, basketball hoops, giant Jenga and Connect Four games, volleyball and corn hole for additional entertainment options.

Fireworks, the highlight of the celebration, started at 9:30.

Jaharra Graves, with Bennettsville Parks and Rec, said everything went very well, despite the rain showers.

“The rain came early on, before a lot of the crowds arrived. There were a couple heavy downpours, but it cleared out and people still came,” Graves said.

Asked why the city did the celebration early, Graves replied, “Bennettsville has always done the 4th of July celebration the Saturday beforehand because a lot of folks go out of town for the 4th. By doing it prior to the day, more of our residents get to enjoy it. Plus, the fireworks show is far less expensive than if we did it on the actual day. We get more for our money that way.”