Chronicle photo by Toni Milbourne Fireworks ignite over the sky at Sam Michael’s Park in Harpers Ferry earlier this week to celebrate the nation’s 241st year of Independence.

Thousands of folks once again made the trek to Sam Michael’s Park in Shenandoah Junction as the Jefferson County Parks and Recreation presented a Fourth of July celebration on Saturday evening. The gates opened at 5 p.m. so that folks could enjoy quality family time listening to local musicians including Jennifer Maghan and Joe Ham who performed on the stage prior to the fireworks show.

In addition, food vendors provided tasty treats for all and attendees were afforded the opportunity to shop as some local business vendors set up booths to offer their wares.

The event, which has been hosted solely by the Parks and Recreation for the past two years, was organized by a group of local citizens and presented prior to that since 2006. The event began as a way to bring back a Fourth of July celebration to Jefferson County that was lacking since the National Park Service ceased their show after the Sept. 11, 2001 tragedy.

The fireworks themselves were presented by Gaithersburg, Maryland based Digital Lightning, who has been the winner of the contract bid since the event began. Owned and operated by Vincent and Alysha DiGiorgio, the company is award-winning in their lighting shows and pyrotechnics. They have orchestrated the lighting for multiple White House and Congressional events as well as concerts. They provide pyrotechnic shows in multiple locations during the July 4th holiday season including Middleburg, Virginia and Solomons Island, Maryland.

Alysha DiGiorgio, vice president of the company, said that the Jefferson County show is one of her favorite to do. She commended the community support as all dollars to pay for the event are locally raised by businesses and individuals.

The show this year, which cost around $25,000 for all aspects of the event, not solely the pyrotechnic show, was funded through many sponsors. Skinner Law Firm, a presenting sponsor with a significant donation, was joined by many businesses and individuals who see the event as a celebration of America’s birth and an asset to Jefferson County.

No admission is charged for the event although donation receptacles were placed at the entrance gates. A final tally of the night’s donations was not immediately available; however, all donations will go into funding the show for July 4, 2018, said Jennifer Myers, director of Jefferson County Parks and Recreation.