There was thunder.
There was lightning.
There was rain.
But the wet and wild weather wasn’t enough Saturday to dampen the Independence Day celebrations and patriotic spirit at The Villages Town Squares.
“Rain doesn’t bother me on the Fourth of July,” said June Fuller, sporting an oversized red-white-and blue Uncle Sam hat and matching paper necklace. She sat with her husband, Dale, and friend Aldona Miner, near the stage of Spanish Springs.
“This holiday reminds us of all the sacrifices the men and women in our armed forces have made for this country,” said Fuller, who lives in The Villages. “A little rain and thunder isn’t going to stop us from remembering what they did.”
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The holiday festivities were delayed about 20 minutes at Spanish Springs due to lightning.
“Weather is weather, you can’t do anything about it,” said Nina Metrick, lead singer of the band Prairie Junction, which performed at Spanish Springs. The band played without its lead male singer and Clark Barrios stepped in at the last minute to pinch hit.
“I’m just a country boy singing country music,” he joked.
Also on the entertainment bill were the Aloha ‘O Ka Hula Dance Troupe, The Villages Cheerleaders and The Villages Twirlers and Drum Corps. Those groups also performed at Market Square in Lake Sumter Landing and Paddock Square in Brownwood. The band Paisley Craze headlined Lake Sumter Landing while Scooter the DJ performed at Paddock Square.
Beverly and Ray Finkle were among the spectators who enjoyed the entertainment. They have been traveling around the country in their RV and plan to settle in The Villages.
“A celebration like this is why we want to live in The Villages,” Beverly Finkle said. “The people here are so patriotic and they really care about military veterans and their country.”
Ray Finkle agreed.
“The Villages is a wonderful place,” he said. “It’s a place that makes you realize as you get older, you don’t have to get old.”
Even the rain seems better here.
“Today is a birthday party for our country,” Beverly Finkle said. “It’s OK if it rains. We’re still going to party.”
That attitude seemed to sum up this holiday celebration at all the Squares.
Villager George Doucette, his wife, Ron, and daughter Melissa, were celebrating the holiday with friends Ronnie Reid and Amanda Brunelle.
“Who cares about the rain when you’re with beautiful people and having a good time,” Reid said. Brunelle shared those feelings, saying it’s better to be soaked with friends than to be all alone and dry. Especially on the Fourth of July.
Then the group started a quick “no more rain” chant. It seemed to work. They all come from Boston and root for the Patriots and the Red Sox, not to mention the Bruins and Celtics.
And the Doucette family has a history of patriotic service. George served in Vietnam. His wife and daughter were also in the armed forces.
“This is a day when we honor all who served,” George Doucette said. “I wish people would put out more flags in The Villages. It lets everyone that we care about our veterans and people in the military.”
“I think more people have to step out and show how much they love our country,” Melissa Doucette said. “That’s what the founders of our country did.”
Donna Lamoureaux, lead singer of Paisley Craze, said the patriotism, music and party atmosphere is all part of the Fourth of July.
“It’s an exciting, meaningful day,” she said. “To be here in The Villages you can just feel how special the 4threally is. I’m just happy to be a part of it.”
