Throwback Thursday: Fourth of July celebrations through the years in the Cape Fear
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — This week’s Throwback Thursday celebrates Independence Day by revisiting Fourth of July traditions across the Cape Fear over the years, from fireworks in downtown Wilmington to parades in Southport and holiday crowds at Wrightsville Beach.
The segment begins in 1983, when cloudy skies did not keep people away from downtown Wilmington for Independence Day festivities. Crowds gathered along the waterfront to enjoy a performance by local band The Alchemists before watching the annual fireworks display.
One year later, in 1984, WWAY cameras were in Southport for the North Carolina Fourth of July Festival, one of the state’s largest Independence Day celebrations.
“While the parades may change through the years, there always seems to be one thing you can count on: the hot, humid weather. Right now, the bank thermometer says it’s 90 degrees,” a reporter said during the broadcast.
The final story travels to Wrightsville Beach in 1994, where beachgoers shared how they planned to spend the holiday weekend.
Some were relaxing on the sand, while others were celebrating weddings, visiting friends, or attending local events.
“Hanging out at the beach, maybe throwing some frisbee,” one beachgoer said.
“This weekend I’m getting married to a Wilmingtonian,” another said.
The segment is part of a weekly Throwback Thursday series that features stories from WWAY’s historical news archives. That archive can be accessed here.
