Fireworks, Freedom and Unicorns

Thousands thrill to Urbanna’s Independence Day boat parade and fireworks

by Tom Chillemi –

Kinley Nichols wanted to see a unicorn — a mythical white horse with a single spiral horn. But the word “unicorn” has come to mean something “unusual, rare, and highly valued.”

On Friday, July 1, Kinley, 4, and her family had come to the right place to find the next best thing to a unicorn — fireworks!

Parents Megan and Justin Nichols of King William County and their children, Carter and Kinley, waited on a picnic table at Urbanna Boat Yard and Marina (“Urbby”) for fireworks as darkness descended on Urbanna Creek, following the early evening annual Independence Day-themed boat parade on the creek.

Carter likes the way people dress up in costumes for the Fourth of July. “Those (parade) boats were cool,” said Megan, and her children agreed. And, Kinley said one word when asked what was her favorite firework. “Unicorn.”

Show time

The boat parade was entertaining and afterward the sky erupted with booms and explosions of colors that went on for more than 15 minutes. Many docks on Urbanna Creek were filled with spectators. Boats floating in Urbanna Creek were lit like darlings by brief explosions. The water reflected colors of the sky.

Escape

Jane and Bob Hammond from Wake had front row seats in their lawn chairs at Urbanna Boat Yard and Marina (“Urbby”). “I’m just really happy to see everybody out here with their flags and somebody’s playing patriotic music,” said Jane. “It’s nice to see the community coming together, getting in the spirit.”

Together

Few things bring a wide variety of people together like fireworks. The anticipation builds for days and then for precious moments the real world recedes. The sky is beautiful for a few seconds with each starlike burst.

It’s an occasion that is almost as rare as a unicorn.