Summers in apple country are fraught with sweet potato casserole and Lexington-style barbecue. Children roam the banks of no-name streams, casting weary eyes up to storm clouds about to break, while others make pretend between orchard rows.
It's a quiet life in Hendersonville, but then after the June solstice, days shorten. Families come out of the woodwork, beach towels and bug spray in tow, and pyrotechnics detonate over the Blue Ridge as residents celebrate the Fourth of July.
For your firework viewing pleasure, we have compiled five famed vantage points for the 4th. All are long-lived and regional, just like our southerly fare and Appalachian lore. Plus, admission is free.
Rosco's Six Oaks
Any other night, Rosco's is an unassuming fill station – a 36-year-old family-owned hotspot for campers and passersby looking to nosh. But on Independence Day, the store comes alive. At 7 p.m., local church groups sing gospel in the parking lot and at 9 p.m. the surge of flares and colors begins.
According to Joy Stepp, daughter of owner Nancy Green, the tradition started decades ago when her late father, Rosco, the business's namesake, began setting off fireworks in the yard.
“Jackson Park was too crowded back then,” Stepp said. She was 8 that first July and having five older siblings made the commute to downtown too laborious. “We hope everyone comes out and enjoys the show. We like doing that for people.”
Tips from regulars: The convenience store stays open until the first kaboom, so Stepp encourages kids to grab sweets and bottled water. Outfitting truck beds or backseats with blankets and pillows can also make the display more enjoyable.
Parking: There's no need to abandon the Oldsmobile. Simply roll down the windows, open the sunroof, or hop into the truck bed and look to the sky. For those not looking to crane their neck, a higher vantage point can be sought on the side of Green River Road or the interstate exit ramp.
Location: 94 Green River Road, Zirconia.
Main Street in Hendersonville
A performance by WestSound, set to include songs by Tina Turner, S.O.S. and famed '50s maestros, will preface fireworks on Independence Day as part of the Music on Main series. Though the musicians played Main Street once before, a special honor comes with celebrating the 4th, as both Randy and Oscar Weston fought for America's freedoms.
WestSound got its start on a cruise ship. Renditions of Marvin Gaye and Michael Jackson would float out from the vessel, keyboardist Randy Weston working the ivories when the show dipped toward the Yazoo River-inspired Delta blues.
In 1999, he abandoned his home base of Indianapolis and moved back to North Carolina. It was then that his brother, Oscar Weston, joined on as a guitarist and singer. Drummer Michael Leyshon and vocalist Regina Duke completed the R&B quartet somewhere between then and now, but the band's flair remains unscathed.
“That's our signature,” Randy said. “Great vocals and personable crowd interaction. Listeners are normally dancing from the first song to the last.”
Live music begins in the Henderson County Travel and Tourism parking lot at 7 p.m. Fireworks follow at 9 p.m. and last around 25 to 30 minutes.
Tips from regulars: Though admission to the event is free, seating will not be provided. Guests should bring a lawn chair to the Visitor Center parking lot, which opens at 5:30 p.m. All veterans should wear military attire, as they will be recognized alongside those currently serving.
Tim Hopkin, director of Henderson County Parks and Recreation, suggests that families looking to avoid the Main Street bustle scope out other hotspots. The Pepsi-sponsored display is visible wherever the “large red balloon” is. Parking lots along Spartanburg Highway, such as Harris Teeter, typically allow for the best views.
Parking: Available along Main Street.
Location: 201 S. Main St., Hendersonville.
Lake Julian Park
David Blynt is a 30-year fireworks-viewing veteran. As Lake Julian Park manager, he has watched the park's bangs and blasts evolve with the decades, and “it just keeps getting better and better.”
With the Duke Energy Asheville Plant acting as baleful scrim, the streaming of red and yellow is one of the biggest shows in Western North Carolina, attracting an estimated 10,000 people annually.
Many families arrive at noon; trunks stuffed with hotdogs, chips and other picnic materials. According to Blynt, board games and matches on the sand volleyball court are popular pastimes. The local clan of ducks and geese also garner a good bit of attention while guests wait for the 9:30 p.m. show.
Tips from regulars: South Asheville is in an upswing – Rocky's Hot Chicken Shack recently hit Sweeten Creek and land prices in Fairview continue to soar. Because of that, Lake Julian manages to get crowded by mid-afternoon or even earlier. To avoid extensive traffic, patrons should arrive early.
The grand exhibit can also be seen from various pull-offs on Airport Road. McKenna Road, the strip featuring Target, Lowes and Michaels Craft Store, is a popular, but unofficial, spot to watch the Lake Julian show.
Parking: Parking spaces around Lake Julian are closed off to the public, as to allow for seating. Thus, attendees should park at Estes Elementary and take a shuttle across Long Shoals Road. Around 7 p.m., when the lot fills up, cars begin to line the highway and fill nearby parcels.
Location: 406 Overlook Road Extension, Arden.
Brevard College
Dolly's Dairy Bar, an ice cream joint celebrated for its Blue Ridge-centric flavors (like SOAR, a coffee-caramel ode to the ADHD summer camp in Balsam), is only a quick drive away from downtown Brevard. In fact, scooper Austin Downing has made a habit out of viewing the fireworks display after closing up shop.
“I pick a spot on a grassy spot and maybe bring some post-work dinner, too,” the Saluda resident said. “Kids play in the stream that cuts through campus while adults read. It's a family friendly event.”
The AmeriCAN Anniversary, an Oskar Blues Brewery event, prefaces this year's light spectacle. Guests can enjoy live music and beer at Brevard College starting at 6 p.m. The reverberation of sovereignty begins at 9:30 p.m.
Tips from regulars: Around 3,000 locals and out-of-towners flood the central quad on the Fourth. To snag some prime real estate, Nancy Coleman, promotions coordinator at the Heart of Brevard, suggests visitors arrive at 9 p.m. or earlier. She also advises bringing a towel, as pre-explosion rains can cause for wet grass.
Parking: Free parking is available on the campus. For a more urban Independence Day, guests can park downtown and walk to North Broad Street, which is closed to traffic during the display.
Location: 1 Brevard College Drive, Brevard.
Lake Lure
Hickory Nut Gorge is a testament to the interplay between landscape and its inhabitants. The 14-mile-long canyon is fraught with plunging granite cliffs, shaped by natural forces, and centuries-old flora. The work of the elements is alluring, though the 720-acre Lake Lure results from manpower – a 1925 damming of Broad River, Cane Creek and Buffalo Creek in an attempt to create hydroelectric power.
On the eve of Independence Day, the inorganic and organic will once again fuse as artificial light melds into the stars up above. The Rutherfordton celebration is to be held on July 3, beginning at 5 p.m. The beach closes from 6 to 8 p.m., allowing for setup, but reopens one hour before the fireworks show at 9 p.m.
According to Karen Yarbrough with the Chamber of Hickory Nut Gorge, patriotic baked goods will be on sale at the Welcome Center. Fair fare, such as ice cream, snow cones and funnel cake, can also be purchased at an impromptu food court in front of the Arcade building. Profits from sale items go to benefit next year's fireworks production.
Tips from regulars: Despite being the town's namesake, Lake Lure is a relatively small reservoir, says Yarbrough. “Because of that, you can catch the fireworks from about anywhere,” she advised, mentioning 27 miles of shoreline.
To avoid the congestion and traffic, bring picnics and blankets to Morse Park. The 23-acre recreational area offers westerly views of the shoreline and neon explosions, without all the fuss. To pass time before the big production, guests can fish along the Rocky Broad River, bird watch in the wooded wetland, or play tennis on the lighted courts.
Parking: Free parking is available around downtown. Still, since available parking spots could be a short walk from the beach, comfortable shoes are a must.
Location: The beach is located at 2930 Memorial Highway, Lake Lure. Morse Park can be found at 2948 Memorial Highway, Lake Lure.