ROCKINGHAM — The Rock Speedway and Entertainment Complex will hold its inaugural “4th of July at The Rock” event in partnership with the City of Rockingham and Richmond County.

The Independence Day celebration will be free to attend with free parking at the Speedway, according to Frank Bloom, operating partner and vice president of events, marketing and development for The Rock.

The fireworks show is in still in the design stage, but Bloom said in a statement that their fireworks vendor told them the show would be “one of the largest fireworks shows in the entire southeast, if not the largest between Washington, D.C. and Atlanta.”

The event will include live music, activities for children including bounce houses and other vendors. Gates will open at 3 p.m. with live music starting at 4 p.m. The full details have not yet been announced. More information will be released at www.therocknc.com in the coming months.

“This is a great opportunity to have the community come together and enjoy the 4th of July here at The Rock,” Bloom said. “We look forward to sharing our space and celebrating Independence Day with our neighbors from all around the region.”

The impending event at The Rock had Richmond County’s other fireworks events questioning whether to continue. The Ellerbe Lions Club posted on Facebook that they would not hold their event before reversing on March 29 following public outcry.

“The more we talked about it, the more we thought people would go (to the Speedway),” said Betty Lyerly, who manages the Lions Club’s facilities, in an interview Tuesday. The Lions Club held a public meeting last month where Lyerly said the room was filled with Ellerbe residents, merchants and those who’ve attended their event in the past, who wanted the event to remain in Ellerbe.

Lyerly said the Lions Club will hold several fundraisers to help raise money to go towards the its July 4th event and upkeep of the Lions Club’s facilities.

In their budget meeting in February, the Hamlet City Council informally agreed to not hold their July 4th fireworks show. Hamlet City Manager Jonathan Blanton said Tuesday that he met with County Manager Bryan Land about six months ago to discuss Hamlet forgoing its event and instead “join” and support The Rock’s event. But Tuesday, the council voted to go forward with their event.

Mayor Bill Bayless told council that he didn’t feel the city needed to “do away with the show”.

“This is a tradition in Hamlet and I can’t see us giving it up,” Bayless said.

Jasmine Hager contributed to this report.

File photo
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/web1_hamletfireworks_cmyk-1-1-6.jpgFile photo

Gavin Stone

Editor