We love the Fourth of July in Fairfax!

Ryan, Sarah & Connor show off their Independence Day t-shirts

Following the parade begins the highlight of our day… the Old Fashioned Fireman’s Relays! Members of local fire departments compete in three events, showing off their fire-fighting skills as they blast out targets with fire hoses, scoop water with buckets, and play tug-o-war in the sky with an empty keg and fire hoses. By the end of the afternoon, there isn’t a dry man, woman or child in the crowd… but no one is complaining – we haven’t had temperatures of less than 90 degrees on the 4th for the three years we’ve been in Virginia!

The final event in the Old Fashioned Fireman’s Relays,
the fire hose tug-o-war.


Drenched!

Next, we head to our neighborhood pool for the community pool party, and then it’s off to the fireworks where the kids bounce in jumpy houses and have their faces painted while listening to great music, waiting for the sun to go down… and then… the FIREWORKS begin! As my Mom said, “The entire fireworks show is like a grand finale!” Each year is better than the last.

This year it started raining at about 5pm, as it has every year we’ve been here; but this year, it didn’t stop raining in time for the fireworks. Instead, it rained harder and harder as the evening went on.

Grandma, Ryan, Sarah, Patrick & Connor trying to keep dry

By the end of the night, we were drenched, for the second time today, and tired… and by tomorrow morning, we’ll be talking about next year!