BLUFF FUN: July 4 celebrated with music, games, fireworks on the river

NATCHEZ — Hundreds of men, women and children braved the heat to celebrate July 4 on the Natchez Bluff Thursday in honor of the braver men and women who fought for their freedoms.

Natchez celebrated American independence in style with musical performances at the first Live@Five event to ever start at 3 p.m. a

“Live@Five at 3 on the Fourth,” organizer Sarah Lindsey Laukhuff jokingly called it.

She stayed for the party and sold hundreds of Live@Five T-shirts, which she dyed by hand in her home kitchen.

Cha Cha Boo kicked off the music selections followed by Lincoln Outfit and Mira.Got.Soul.

Around 6 p.m. Mayor Dan Gibson and other city officials recognized the local Special Olympics athletes who participated in the statewide event at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi.

“These young ladies and men really represented Natchez well,” Alderman Billie Joe Frazier said. “I’d like to see more support for our Special Olympics because they really need it.”

Alderman Curtis Moroney added how proud he is to be from Natchez and take part in such fellowship as celebrated on July 4.

“I’m really proud to be from Natchez and this is another one of those days when it is a great time to be in Natchez,” he said. “We’re going to have a spectacular sunset in a while and its events like this when we all come together, share some time and just experience what it’s like to be from a small town. You can’t find that in a big city. There is nowhere like Natchez.”

The culmination of the festivities was the annual Fourth of July Fireworks Extravaganza, a grand display of fireworks shot off from the Mississippi River for the entire Miss-Lou to see, thanks to the sponsors who donate to the nonprofit Miss Lou Fireworks organized by Sabrina Doré.

Enjoy these scenes in the gallery above from the festivities on Thursday, July 4.

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