'Excited they're back:' Many enjoy July 4 fireworks' return to State Fairgrounds

For the first time in six years, the Fourth of July fireworks returned to the North Carolina State Fairgrounds Wednesday night.

Organizers said the decision was made to move the display from downtown Raleigh as a result of construction and a changing skyline that would obstruct views.

“We didn’t really go to the fireworks downtown. I feel like the views were obscured. We’re excited they’re back at the fairgrounds. We came out to see what’s going on,” said Garner resident Melissa Hamman.

“Downtown was kind of crowded for the parking spaces and stuff like that,” said Selma resident Ronnie Raiford. “We went down there last year and the crowd was too much, so we’re back here and we’re fine here.”

Although there were no vendors at this year’s show, organizers encouraged attendees to make the experience their own with picnics.

The children, it seemed, were having the most fun watching the fireworks display.

“They’re very big and then you see them up in the air and then my favorite one is when they start off small and they puff into lines and then they make a humongous firework,” said Isabella Madison.

Elsewhere around North Carolina, towns were holding their own Fourth of July celebrations.

Festivities started off with a bang at Fort Bragg with paratroopers kicking off the days’ celebration. Fort Bragg’s Salute to the Nation was capped off with fireworks Wednesday night.

In downtown Apex, people celebrated the Fourth of July the old fashioned way with a celebration that included a marching band and Uncle Sam on stilts leading a parade down Salem Street. The festivities ended with the annual Apex Fire Department splash down.