Windsor’s salute to freedom draws praise
Published 9:00 am Friday, July 4, 2025
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The town of Windsor’s Summer Salute to Freedom drew high praise from those in attendance on Saturday, June 28, which proved to be a notably hot and humid day.
“We have received nothing but positive comments from those in attendance,” Windsor Mayor George Stubbs said. “I’d received an email — and I forwarded it along to the (Town of Windsor) Events Committee — from one of the residents in town who said that they had been watching fireworks in town for over 30 years and this was the most incredible fireworks display that they had seen.”
Windsor Town Manager William Saunders said, “Overall, I think (the Summer Salute to Freedom) went very well. The dedicated members of the Events Committee, town staff and emergency services made a very nice event happen. I thank them profusely for the time and efforts that they put into the event! All reports that I have seen about the event have been positive.
“The performances by Joe Marade and the Phun Doctors were great, and the fireworks were fantastic,” Saunders added. “We had more activities for children than in past years, which were enjoyed by the kids.”
Stubbs said he spoke to several vendors at the event, hoping that they had good patronage amid the high temperature and humidity that he described as “awful all day long.” He said two of the vendors shared positive comments.
“The food trucks, I think they were supported very well too,” he said.
He noted the event, which ran from 3:30-9:30 p.m., featured low turnout at the beginning due to the heat.
The Patriot Guard Riders, a group that honors military veterans and first responders, conducted a flag ceremony at the beginning of the festivities at the Wesley F. Garris Event Park, and the ceremony also included prayer and the National Anthem.
“The Patriot Guard, they were awesome,” Stubbs said. “They came in very well organized. There were six of them that came in on bikes. They brought flags with them.”
Stubbs noted that the guard captain said he was going to ask some of the young people in the audience if they would come up and stand in front of a bike and hold a flag during the ceremony.
“I’m kind of wondering, ‘I don’t know how many of these kids are going to do this,’” Stubbs said. “But let me tell you, when he announced it, there were like six or seven of them that just popped right up and said, ‘Yes, sir, I’ll do it.’ And so he handed each one of them a flag, they stood in front of the bikes, and we went through the opening ceremonies. I can’t say enough good about it.”
The Greg Willis Cruise-In, taking place in the school parking lot near the Garris Event Park, featured awards for the first time, as attendees voted for their favorite car using a QR code.
The winners were as follows:
- 1st place: Meredith Turner, of Courtland, with a 1971 Duster;
- 2nd place: Christine Willis, of Windsor, with a 1968 Plymouth; and
- 3rd place: George Fowler, of Suffolk, with a 2012 Mustang.
The town of Windsor opted to hold its Independence Day celebration nearly a week early this year compared to its usual pattern.
“It has been on the fourth (of July) for so many years, surely there are some who would have preferred it stayed that way,” Saunders said. “But for many reasons, the Events Committee decided to try the last Saturday in June. I think it was a positive change.”
He estimated that a larger crowd attended compared to the 2024 edition of the event, and Stubbs estimated roughly that 250 people attended this year.
“Conditions as they were as far as the temperature and the humidity, I feel very pleased with what we had, very, very pleased,” Stubbs said. “And I thank everyone that had anything to do with the planning, those that supported us as far as vendors.”
He also expressed thanks specifically to the Isle of Wight County Sheriff’s Office, Windsor Police Department, Isle of Wight Volunteer Rescue Squad, Windsor Volunteer Fire Department and Windsor Public Works.
