Wheeling Celebrates the Fourth With Flair
Shelley Hanson Trending
WHEELING -- Ohio Valley residents enjoyed food, fun and family at Heritage Port on Thursday during the City of Wheeling's annual Independence Day celebration and fireworks display.
Dressed in red, white and blue, Michelle Kuhn and her husband Kenneth Kuhn of Triadelphia were getting ready to pick out a prime spot to enjoy the evening's entertainment.
"I love it, just being a patriotic family," Michelle Kuhn said of the holiday.
She said her husband served in the Marine Corps, his father was in the Air Force and her father was a Vietnam War veteran.
"We're patriots but it's also fun to get out and do things like this. I love fireworks," she said.
Kuhn said she attended the fireworks display at The Highlands on Wednesday.
"But my favorite is over the water. You can't get better than fireworks over the water. I'm looking forward to this. This will be my first time," she said of the display at the port.
Kuhn said she also enjoys dressing up for the holiday, noting she made her own patriotic baseball cap complete with sparkling red, white and blue rhinestones.
Kenneth Kuhn said he enjoys watching his wife enjoy the fireworks and hanging out with family.
"You know, summer, fireworks, apple pie - the whole 9 yards," he said, wishing everyone a safe holiday.
Each year the couple gets a special red, white and blue apple pie from the Fat Apple Bakery in Bridgeport. She said the pie contains cherries, blueberries and apples all in one.
Prior to the fireworks, the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra and vocalist Ben Gulley offered a variety of patriotic tunes to get people in the mood.
Colerain resident Patrick McCormack and his daughter Sophia McCormack, 11, said they enjoy seeing the fireworks and symphony each year.
"And the food trucks -- they're always good," he said.
McCormack noted the celebration would continue today as it is his birthday. Sophia, who was wearing a red, white and blue pigtails headband, said she has fun dressing up for the holiday each year.
Wheeling residents Rachel McQuain, her fiance Brian Jenkins and children 8-year-old Azelyn and 6-year-old Abel and 8-month-old Maci, all were enjoying the atmosphere and ice cream the port had to offer during the celebration.
The family has been coming to the fireworks display for the last few years since moving to the area. Azelyn and Abel have their favorite fireworks to see. Abel said he likes the fireworks that squiggle up into the air and sound like noisemakers.
"I like the ones that go up and explode and then it goes 'p'shew,'" Azelyn said, making a sound effect.