ROCKY MOUNT, Va. – Franklin County High School was the place to be Wednesday night for the 36th annual Independence Day Festival.
Thousands of people packed the football field for family fun, vendors and more. And of course, they also staked out spots to watch the fireworks.
The Rocky Mount Rotary Club hosts this every year to make sure people in the area have a way to celebrate on their own turf.
"Really there's nothing else that's close for Franklin County families that are so rural, we don't want them to have to drive all the way to Roanoke to see fireworks or all the way to Martinsville, and this is a tradition now, the Rotary has been doing this festival for many many years," Rocky Mount Rotary Club President Pamela Chitwood said.
The Rotary Club hosted a raffle for people to win $10,000 in cash prizes. Proceeds from that raffle go to Healing Strides in Boones Mill.