Thursday, October 1, 2026
®
The World's Local News Source®
Cherryville, NC (WNN)— The City of Cherryville held its annual Independence Day Celebration on Thursday, July 3rd, 2025. This year's festivities, which included a fireworks display, were moved to Main Street, a change from previous years when the event took place at Rudisill Stadium.
According to the Cherryville Police Department, who performed attendance studies at the event, they estimated well over 10,000 attendees in the event district and 3-5,000 viewers from surrounding areas and parking lots.
Attendees listening to The Voltage Brothers band on Main Street.
July 3rd, 2025. By: Mason Beam (WNN)
WNN's Ashley Reep led a segment asking attendees whether they preferred the event on Main Street or back at Rudisill Stadium. The responses were mixed, but based on our tallies, most attendees preferred Rudisill Stadium.
Several attendees said they preferred the stadium for its safety and space. With the number of attendees, they believe having the event on Main Street is unsafe. They say the stadium was more spread out, giving attendees more room to walk around and enjoy everything.
Others supported the move to Main Street. They cited the community feel, saying it brings people together. One attendee mentioned the local businesses, saying they get to see different faces in the community since the event moved to Main Street.
Caroline Eason, a pharmacist based in Cherryville, attended the event to connect with voters and discuss her candidacy for North Carolina House District 110. This district covers parts of Cleveland and Gaston counties, including Cherryville, Bessemer City, and West Gastonia.
WNN's Rusty Wise interviewing Caroline Eason at the Cherryville Independence Day event.
July 3rd, 2025 By: Mason Beam (WNN)
I grew up working here," Eason said. "I'm running to elevate the voices of my hometown."
Eason shared her professional background, including working in health policy and advocacy in Raleigh and interning with UNC Health during pharmacy school. "This is my first time running for office," she said. "But I've worked with current representatives."
She identified her top three campaign priorities: supporting the local and state economy, improving access to healthcare, and protecting public safety.
"We need local jobs so people don't have to drive an hour and a half to work," Eason said. "As a pharmacist, I see firsthand how hard it is for people to afford medicine. And I support local law enforcement and first responders."
Emily Dellinger, Cherryville's event coordinator and director of the Chamber of Commerce, spoke with WNN about the logistics behind this year's event and the shift back to Main Street.
"Before we moved to the stadium, we used to have it with fireworks shot from First Baptist Church," Dellinger said. "This year, we shot them from the new recreation building. The stage was set in the middle of Main Street, and the fireworks launched from south of Main Street."
Entertainment included DJ Johnny B of Carolina Beach Party and The Voltage Brothers, a band based out of Atlanta. Dellinger said 18 food vendors participated, offering everything from snow cones to barbecue to cotton candy.
She reported overwhelmingly positive feedback from attendees. "Every food truck had incredible sales and full lines the entire night," she said. The Voltage Brothers band was well-liked by the attendees. They were amazed with the crowd, hospitality, and overall charm of our town. They stated they would absolutely love to return for another event."
Dellinger said several merchants reported record-breaking nights due to the return to Main Street. She also noted that most comments about the fireworks were positive. "The size and height of the fireworks were the main feature of this year's show. With the change in location, we had to go with larger shells to be more visible in the event district. In turn, this caused the fireworks display to be only just a few minutes less than last year's display. Overall, it was a great show that we have received lots of great feedback on."
This marked Dellinger's first major event as coordinator. "I started the week before the Cherry Blossom Festival, but this is the first one all on my own," she said. I'm very happy with how it turned out."
She thanked attendees and vendors for their support. "I hope you'll come back for our next event. Thank you for supporting our town and merchants."
The night ended with a fireworks display around 10:15. The colorful display lit up the sky south of Main Street, with vibrant bursts drawing cheers and applause from the crowd. Some families watched from lawn chairs along residential streets, while others lined sidewalks and storefronts throughout Main Street.
The display featured a series of rapid-fire finales, with large multi-color bursts and high-altitude effects. The larger shells used this year were chosen to provide maximum height and speed, compensating for the visual challenges posed by Main Street buildings and trees.
Fireworks lighting up the sky in Cherryville.
July 3rd, 2025. By: Lauren Ramsey (WNN)
The 10-minute show closed the event with a festive and patriotic flair, celebrating the holiday and the city's efforts to bring the community together in the heart of town.
For more WNN video news stories, visit YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wisenewsnetwork
For further WNN articles and news stories, visit https://wisenewsnetwork.com
Contact WNN at newsdesk@wisenewsnetwork.com
©️Copyright 2025 Wise News Network. All rights reserved.
