Despite the heat, hundreds of area residents flocked to Vienna's Independence Day celebration at the Vienna Community Center to spread some patriotic cheer. As crafters sold their wares and music bands performed cover songs, children yelped while running the three-legged race and campaigning politicians handed out flyers and balloons.
"It's great. It's like a family outing. Kind of casual, relaxed," said Tim Devins, who had been at the celebration for an hour and a half.
While families sat down in the shade to munch on hot dogs, Charlie Morrison joked with people as they looked at his 1935 Ford at the antique car show. In the 40 years that Morrison has lived in Vienna, he's entered his Ford in the car show three times.
Morrison recommended watching the race where kids climb a greased pole so one of them can win the money pasted on top.
"It's just a real, small-town, down-home affair," Morrison said.
But it wasn't just Vienna residents who made it to the celebration and watched the fireworks that would occur in the evening. Bucker Payne grew up in Vienna but now lives in Springfield. He comes back so he can run into familiar faces. For the 40 minutes that he had been there, he had run into several Madison High School friends.
"It's just nice, quiet," said Payne as he sat under a tree with his 8-year-old son, Will.