Local organizations have worked hard to make this year’s Independence Day celebration an enjoyable family experience.

The Main Street Portsmouth/USEC “Ribs on the River” festival has promoted a fun downtown event celebrating Portsmouth’s culture and heritage.

“It’s a way to celebrate our community and our country,” Main Street Director Zoe Richards stated. Indeed, our riverfront has been a focal point for many seasonal entertainment events throughout the years and this venue is no exception. While many local businesses and organizations support the activities, we ask forgiveness for not listing them all, but give a special nod to Life Ambulance for cooking the ribs and offering train rides along the Portsmouth Floodwall Murals; the American Red Cross and United Way for sponsoring a corn hole tournament; Ye Olde Lantern and Doc Roc for streetside musical entertainment; and American Savings Bank and B Sweete Chocolaterie for assisting with ticket sales..

The Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra held its annual “Summer Concert in the Park” at Tracy Park, and the music and fun began with Steve Free’s pre-concert. Free has been a well-known supporter of the arts for decades and the community is blessed to have such a tremendous, world-known talent performing “free” for the community.

The talents of many local musicians make the symphony orchestra an amazing experience for young and old alike, and the annual summer concert has become a family tradition for many.

The much-anticipated fireworks and a performance by “Geneva” on the riverfront had to be rescheduled because of rain, but will take place tonight.

Each year the Civic Forum provides this amazing spectacle of entertainment that draws thousands to the downtown and both sides of the river to celebrate America’s freedom. The group, and especially its champion, Gene Arms, are to be commended for their hard work and dedication to making this event a tradition and a reality that continues at a time when many communities have been forced to scale back or cancel their shows altogether.

No matter where you are this holiday weekend, take a moment to stop and thank your friends in the community for their help in making this an enjoyable weekend. Remember those who gave their lives defending our opportunity to celebrate the remarkable freedoms in which we participate, and give a special wish to our nation that we continue to be “the land of the free.”