4th of July Fireworks continue Tonight!

Fireworks over Arkansas
Courtesy Pine Bluff Festival Association

4th of July Fireworks continue around the South tonight, with a wide range of events scheduled for the next seven days.

My annual list of 4th of July Fireworks in the South is now online at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/fireworks, so check it out for a state by state guide to the best displays!

Here are some highlights for you from this weekend's planned events:

Alabama (June 29 & 30, 2013)

Boaz, Cedar Bluff, Columbiana, Thomasville and Tuscumbia will all host events on Saturday and Wilsonville's annual God & Country Celebration is set for Sunday.

To learn more about these and other 4th of July Fireworks Events in Alabama for 2013, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/alabamafireworks.

Arkansas (June 29 & 30, 2013)

Texarkana's big Sparks in the Park will take place on Saturday night at Bobby Ferguson Park. Gates open at 4 p.m.for food, activities, contests and more. The fireworks will launch at 9:30 p.m.

Springdale will launch its Fireworks at the Cross at the CrossChurch Pinnacle Hills Campus on Sunday night.  Events begin at 5 p.m. with live music, outdoor baptisms and more. The fireworks go up at dark.

To learn more about this year's 4th of July Fireworks in Arkansas, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/arkansasfireworks.

Florida

Florida's events don't get started until July 3rd, but you can check out the schedule of planned fireworks for the Sunshine State at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/floridafireworks.

Georgia  (July 1, 2013)

Georgia's fireworks for this year get underway on Monday, July 1st, as Auburn (GA) hosts its annual fireworks in the downtown area. The skies light up at dark.

To learn more about the full list of this year's 4th of July fireworks in Georgia, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/georgiafireworks.

Kentucky (June 29, 2013)

Kentucky begins to light up its skies on Saturday night with the Briggs & Stratton Fireworks Extravaganza in Murray. Fireworks launch at 9:30 p.m. on the 29th in the area around Kroger, Wal-Mart and Lowes.

The full list of fireworks in Kentucky is available at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/kentuckyfireworks.

Louisiana (June 29, 2013)

Lake Arthur leads the way this year in Louisiana with its Lake Arthur Freedom Fest on Saturday (June 29th). The gates of Lake Arthur Park open at 8 a.m. for a day of fun.  The Blessing of the Fleet is set for 3 p.m., followed by music from Jamie Bergeron & the Kickin' Cajuns, Travis Matte & the Kingpins and the Bon Journeys.  The fireworks launch at 8:30 p.m.  Admission is $5 with kids 5 and under admitted free.

See the full list of this year's Louisiana fireworks at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/louisianafireworks.

Mississippi (June 30, 2013)

Mississippi's 4th of July Fireworks for 2013 get started on Sunday night in Hattiesburg and Brandon (Ross Barnett Reservoir).

Temple Baptist Church in Hattiesburg hosts Celebrate America on Sunday night (June 30th). The event begins with a community-wide picnic and fun at 6:30 p.m., followed by the fireworks at 9:00 p.m.

The Annual Independence Day Celebration at Ross Barnett Reservoir also takes place on Sunday. Events begin at 5 p.m. at Lakeshore Park and Old Trace Park in Brandon.  There will be live music at 6 p.m., a boat parade at 8 p.m. and fireworks at 9 .m.

Check out Mississippis's complete list of 4th of July Fireworks at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/mississippifireworks.

North Carolina 

Events don't get started in North Carolina until July 3rd, but you can check out the full list of events in the Tarheel State here:  www.exploresouthernhistory.com/ncfireworks.

Oklahoma (June 29, 2013)

The skies over Oklahoma City come alive on Saturday night (June 29th) with the annual Stars & Stripes River Festival. Taking place in the Boathouse District, the event features river sports, games, activities and more throughout the day followed by fireworks at dark.

Check out the complete list of Oklahoma's fireworks for this year at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/okfireworks.

South Carolina (June 29, 2013)

The big 4th of July Celebration and Boat Parade takes place at South Carolina's Lake Murray on Saturday (June 29th). A popular event in the Midlands, the boat parade takes place at 12 noon followed by the fireworks at dark.

See South Carolina's complete list of 4th of July Fireworks at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/scfireworks

Tennessee (June 29, 2013)

Tennessee's 4th of July Fireworks will begin with three events on Saturday night (June 29th).

Alcoa hosts its FreedomFest on Saturday with fireworks at dark. Andersonville's Sequoyah Marina on Norris Lake is home to Fire on the Water which features food, fun and fireworks. Byrdstown's Independence Day Celebration takes place in the parking lot across from Town Hall on Saturday night and begins with a benefit for Our Troops at 5 p.m., followed by music and games.  The fireworks begin at 9 p.m.

Check out the full list of 4th of July Fireworks in Tennessee this year at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/tnfireworks.

Texas (June 29 & 30, 2013)

Texas begins its 4th of July Fireworks on Saturday and Sunday nights, June 29th and 30th.

Allen's annual Market Street Allen USA Celebration is set for Saturday at Celebration Park. Former Styx  lead singer Dennis DeYoung is among the performers set to entertain the crowds. Music, fun, activities, food and more begins at 4 p.m., followed by the fireworks at dark.

Parker's Celebrate Freedom event takes place at Southfork Ranch on Saturday. The gates open at 8 a.m. for activities, food, fun and more. Live music begins at 10 a.m. and the fireworks will launch at Dark.

Rockwall's Freedom Fest 2013 will take place on Sunday at The Harbor. Food, fun, entertainment and activities kick off at 4 p.m. and will be followed by the fireworks at dark.

Check out the full list of Texas 4th of July Fireworks for this year at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/texasfireworks.

Virginia 

Things don't get going in Virginia until July 3rd, but you can check out the full list of Virginia 4th of July Fireworks for 2013 at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/virginiafireworks.

Remember, you can access the full list for all states anytime at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/fireworks.

Ghost hunters in Florida make "electric" discovery at haunted site!

Infrared Photo of Bellamy Bridge at Night
(Courtesy Emerald Coast Paranormal Concepts)

A team of paranormal investigators has made a discovery at a purportedly haunted bridge in Florida unlike anything it has ever encountered.

The location is Bellamy Bridge, the oldest bridge of its type in Florida and the scene of a rumored haunting that goes back to the 19th century. The focal point of the Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail, the historic bridge is located at 4057 Jacob Road, Marianna, Florida.

On two separate occasions, the team from Emerald Coast Paranormal Concepts has verified the presence of electric "pulses" at the old steel-frame bridge, despite the fact that the bridge is located deep in a floodplain swamp, roughly one-half mile from the nearest source of electricity.

There are no lights, no underground or underwater cables, no generators, no radio towers, no cell phone towers and no other sources of electricity near enough to the bridge to explain the strange electric pulses discovered by the team.

According to Susan Todd, an investigator with the group, the discovery was first noted during an evening of research at Bellamy Bridge in May. The team then returned to the bridge last Saturday night (June 15, 2013) and once again encountered precisely the same phenomenon:

Team from Emerald Coast Paranormal Concepts

We set up our meters, to include our Digital EMF detector, in the same locations as we had done previously, again same response from our equipment, with the exception of the Digital EMF detector which did not pick up EMF anomalies. As our meters were reacting we noted the exact time on our digital recorders and IR Video recorders. We were unable to detect a pattern to when the meters would react. At one point, while reciting information on the history of the bridge all meters started to light up to maximum capacity.

The team is working in cooperation with the Friends of Bellamy Bridge to research and obtain footage at the bridge, some of which will be used in a coming documentary that will benefit the preservation and maintenance of the historic bridge and the interpretive trail that provides public access to it.

To see some of the video and read more about the investigation, please visit http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/bellamyghost.

To learn more about the ghost story itself, please visit http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/bellamybridge.