'Great turnout' in downtown Poplar Bluff for parade, fireworks on Fourth of July

Poplar Bluff’s Fourth of July festivities kicked off early Thursday with a 2 1/2-mile parade through the streets of downtown, drawing large crowds despite the heat.

“We had a great turnout,” said Downtown Poplar Bluff Director Jerrica Fox, who noted the temperature was 10 degrees lower this year than last.

The number of entries in the parade, Fox said, was a bit surprising given it’s not an election year.

“I was surprised at the number of entries. Our community members and businesses came out and made it better,” she said.

“I really did enjoy it,” said Betty Pruitt, who’s attended the parade for many years. “I always enjoy seeing the different things, and the floats were well done.”

Pruitt also was a bit surprised to see such a big crowd, saying she was “well pleased with the turnout.”

New features this year, Fox said, were the playing of “God Bless America” over the city’s storm sirens and the addition of a bounce house across from the Black River Coliseum for children to play in.

“It’s a fundraiser for the Butler County Fair,” she noted.

Awards were handed out for the parade’s best floats, with the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center earning the coveted top spot, followed by Hefner Furniture in second place and the Missionary Baptist Church in third place.

“I’d like to thank our judges, Matt Winters, Monique Coleman and Mitchell Davis, for their time,” Fox said.

Following the parade, many visitors migrated to the Black River Coliseum, where the annual Little and Miss and Mister Firecracker Pageant was held.

Later in the afternoon, the activities shifted to the Black River Coliseum parking lot, where several vendors were set up with food, crafts and other items available.

“This part continues to grow,” said Fox, noting the number of vendors went from 10 last year to 22 this year.

The early evening activities, she said, were “created to give people something to do before the fireworks, while giving them the best seat for the show.”

Longtime Poplar Bluff resident Jennifer House said she enjoyed the “good food and the atmosphere. You can tell people are really enjoying it.”

By dark, the downtown area was full of people waiting anxiously for the fireworks show to begin.

This year’s 21-minute show, Fox said, was sponsored by Poplar Bluff’s Briggs & Stratton and Mid-Continent Steel & Wire plants and set off by locally-owned Gladiator Pyro.