By: Richard Burrell

Colonial Beach has done much to brand itself as the “Playground of the Potomac,” and last week saw the town more than live up to the moniker as it celebrated its 75th annual Potomac River Festival: three days of parades, vendors, music, and merriment.

The Town had been preparing for a while. There were cleanup efforts the weekend before focused on the beaches and boardwalk. Residents were asked to “give a day to save the Bay.” Gloves, trash bags, and donated lunches were provided as people spent the morning cleaning up trash. When the 12th rolled in, it was clear that the cleanup efforts had not been wasted.

The first day of the River Festival was marked by the Fireman’s Parade at 7:30 in the evening. Those without earplugs were reminded why they exist as fire trucks and emergency vehicles from all over Virginia and Maryland rolled down Colonial and Washington Avenue, then down Hawthorn Street, and back to the Town Hill park, sirens blaring all the way.

The clouds, which had been a source of scattered showers throughout most of the afternoon, had evidently decided that it would be in bad taste to literally rain on the Town’s parade, but once the last truck had rolled past, the heavens opened and the downpour erupted. Those who would partake in the beauty pageant on Town Hill had clearly anticipated that this could happen and made it a point to have hefty umbrellas within the tailgates of the trucks that held the lovely ladies as they rolled down the Town’s streets. That evening also featured an art walk and Sip ‘n’ Stroll in the downtown area, but the main event came on Saturday.

As vendors gathered along the Boardwalk and Town Hill the next day, people registered at Colonial Beach High School and then started lining up for the Grande Feature Parade, which got marching once the clock struck noon. A small dog show parade would later take place on Town Hill as well.

Joyce Gunderson and several other ladies from the Chamber of Commerce, meanwhile, handled beer and wine sales as the band River Rock got set up to serenade those on Town Hill. River Rock is slated to show up again this September for the Northern Neck Beach Music Festival.

Of course, the main highlight of the second day of the River Fest occurs after sundown. As the hour drew ever closer, more and more police and fire boats could be seen dotting the Potomac. When the first bomb touched off, it was clear this was going to be worth the wait. People gathered and stood in awe as aerial bombs, sky rockets, and mortars lit up the night sky.

The real test, however, lay with getting everybody out of there in a timely manner, and this was something that the Westmoreland County Sheriff’s Office and Colonial Beach Police Department had down to a science, arranging additional routes out of town that would keep visitors from having to deal with a packed Colonial Avenue.

The final day, which was on Sunday, once again saw vendors gather, and a decorated bicycle contest took place along with a River Idol & Talent Show on the Town Hill Stage, with prizes of $100 and $300 going to the winners in the categories of ages 15 or younger and 16 and older, respectively. People were also allowed to place $1 in the bucket of their favorite talents.

The 75th anniversary of the festival was not the only milestone being celebrated as the nation gets closer to celebrating its 250th birthday on July 4. The 75th Potomac River Festival was a rip-roaring success by just about every metric imaginable.

The celebrations in the Town have only just begun. Juneteenth will be celebrated this Friday with vendors and music in the Town Hill park as usual, and then on the evening of July 3, the Town will touch off another one of its famous fireworks displays.

This was the very exciting start to a glorious summer, and there are even greater things yet to come.