Thanks to the efforts of its volunteer fire department, Beatty’s old-fashioned small town Fourth of July celebration is a major highlight of the town’s year. It also becomes something of a town reunion as many former residents return to enjoy the day and visit with old friends.
This year’s events began at 10 a.m. on Monday with a small parade, consisting mostly of the town’s emergency services vehicles.
After the parade, people began congregating in Cottonwood Park, where many families, as usual, had already erected shade shelters.
As the day progressed, all who wished to take part competed in sack races, three-legged races, wheelbarrow races, and more. All of the contests had age divisions, all the way from toddler to adult. Missing this year were the traditional egg toss and the foot race, but competition did end with the crowning event – the watermelon eating contest.
Throughout the day, EMS volunteers and helpers were busy manning the contests, cooking up burgers and hot dogs, and running a raffle for lots of prizes, most of which were donated by businesses in Beatty and surrounding area.
After dark, the day was capped off by a spectacular fireworks display. Every year people seem to say the firemen outdid the year before.
This year’s 4th celebration also saw the reopening of the town’s swimming pool, which had undergone renovation but had not been able to open the last couple of years due to the pandemic and then to a lack of qualified lifeguards. The reopening gave the town something else to celebrate.
Richard Stephens is a freelance reporter living in Beatty.