Happy 4th of July! Happy Independence Day! The rain has been relentless this week, but hopefully you are outside grilling out and playing cornhole instead of inside watching Will Smith battle aliens (like the movie), or Tom Cruise protest the Vietnam War (like that other movie). Today is a day to celebrate the creation of this great nation, and also honor those who fight for our freedom everyday, whether they be on the battlefield, in the halls of government, or just your local volunteer. So think about those that serve while you nom on hotdogs and swig that frosty beverage during this long weekend. Keeping that in mind, there is a great opportunity to toast the best this country, and the state of Virginia, has to offer at the grand opening of the latest Virginia State Park to enter the park system: Powhatan State Park just west of Richmond.
The new Powhatan State Park is comprised of 1,564 acres along the James River in Powhatan County, featuring 2.5 miles of river frontage along the river’s southern bank. There are picnic shelters, playground, canoe slide, equestrian parking, two miles of hiking trails and seven miles of multi-use trails. Powhatan will be dedicated as Virginia’s 36th state park at a ceremony on Saturday that begins at 10 am. Friends of Powhatan State Park will be selling food and drink, and over a dozen exhibitors from state and local organizations will be on hand to provide information on outdoor activities. The formal ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at 2pm along the river with the keynote address being given by Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, followed by live music at 5pm.
This event is not only a great opportunity to check out Virginia’s latest addition to its state park system, but will be fun for the whole family. This Independence Day weekend, get out and show your support for the best this country has to offer: its wide open spaces, and those dedicated to preserving them for future generations.
