By Kelly Robison and Laura Robison

Another year, another Moapa Valley-style Fourth of July celebration come and gone. Over the course of the day at the Clark County Fairgrounds, hundreds of valley residents and guests alike enjoyed food, games and the highly anticipated fireworks show. With dozens of sponsors and hundreds of volunteers, the 250th Independence Day celebrations were a patriotic day for the ages.

The flag raising and opening ceremony began at 7 a.m., performed by VFW Elwood Perkins Post 8336, with Native American Women Warriors’ Whitney Lamb in attendance and the flag being presented by Assemblyman Jason Patchett. VFW quartermaster Phillip Mullins then addressed the audience, speaking about this great nation and all those who came before, as their stories have been told for the past 250 years.

Following that, the small crowd made its way to the fine arts building for eggs, pancakes, sausage and milk, courtesy of the Moapa Valley Rotary Club, which served 370 hungry people.

On the main sidewalk of the fairgrounds entrance was a 20-by-30-foot flag, put up by members of the Overton Power District, Moapa Valley Chamber of Commerce, VFW Post 8336 and many others. The great symbol of America was donated by Turning Point USA.

Between breakfast and the Moapa Valley Fire District (MVFD) hose-down, several small activities were made available for families and children. Included was the Patriot Parade sponsored by Lori Houston, realtor, and Lois Hall of Cal’s Repair, where participants were invited to decorate their bikes, dress up and do a circuit around the Clark County Fairgrounds. Clark County Parks & Recreation had water games, and Moapa Valley Telephone hosted an indoor cornhole tournament, suitable for all ages. Prizes were given out to cornhole winners Caleb and Caden.

The annual watermelon-eating contest had all contestants sorted into age groups and given the chance to eat as many watermelon slices as possible. Ice cream sandwiches and ice cream bars were made available thanks to Meadow Gold, and continued to be available well into the MVFD water fight that followed.

One of the most beloved parts of the annual day of fun was the Moapa Valley Fire District, which made the short drive from Station 73 across the parking lot to the grassy area of the fairgrounds. Children and many parents waited in anticipation as the fire hoses were charged and the floodgates opened. For 45 minutes, participants enjoyed being doused and sprinkled alike, trying their hands at the fire hoses and launching shirts into the air.

As a new addition this year, after the hose-down, much of the remaining crowd made its way to a shallow pit filled with muddy water for a mud-pit tug-of-war, hosted by the VFW and MVFD, with water provided by the Moapa Valley Water District. The event was a major hit, with smiles all around as contestants were split into various teams. By then, the heat of the day crept in, and the small gathering was invited to head home until the evening.

After the flag retreat at 6 pm, a dinner was held, consisting of hamburgers (500) and hot dogs (400), with all the fixins. The Moapa Valley Chamber of Commerce hosted the dinner. Food was prepared by the members of the VFW and served by the Teen Leadership Corps. Popcorn was provided, as well as the ever-popular Hawaiian Shave Ice from Scott and Linda Carson. Community T-shirts and raffle tickets were sold during the morning and evening activities in the fine arts building. Everyone in attendance was also invited to contribute to the community time capsule, to be opened in 25 years.

Community members were able to share their talents with instruments on stage, including the Kelly family, the Reid family and the Dalley and Nelson families, who entertained with songs and music. As the sun went down and anticipation rose, a few small competitions were held, including most patriotic business, won by Millett Insurance; most patriotically dressed, Abigail Thomas, with close runner-up Joe Stokes; and the VFW raffles, with a rifle being won by Pam Hetterscheidt and various smaller raffle prizes also given away. Businesses and individuals who were not included on this year’s shirt were thanked at this point as well.

The most anticipated event of the night, this year’s firework show – put on as always by the MV Pyro Crew, part of the MVFD, and funded by Commissioner Marilynn Kirkpatrick and the MV Independence Day Committee  – was excellent as always. Local Shanan Kelly led the crowd in a community-wide rendition of the National Anthem before the first rockets were fired. The attendance was the largest crowd in recent years, with hundreds enjoying the show. The ubiquitous “Proud to Be an American” by Lee Greenwood was included in the lineup, though not used as the closer, as a fun switch-up from years past. A family-friendly barn dance was held immediately after the show to close out the night, hosted by the Teen Leadership Corps.

The day would never have been as successful if not for all the sponsors and volunteers who donated time, effort and funds throughout the days and months beforehand. Their efforts are appreciated throughout the valley.

Alex Arager, president of the MV Independence Day Committee, said, “This is a community of volunteers who worked together to make this day the best ever. It was a lot of work, but to see the finished product of the day’s events and the patriotism shown by all who attended was worth every second. We appreciate each and every one of you!”