Red, white and blue on Windsor Town Green

Families gathered on Windsor's Town Green on Saturday evening, enjoying picnics, music and games before the town's annual fireworks spectacular.

Jim and Pat Williams, visiting Windsor from Port St. Lucie, Fla., found a bench in the shade as an R&B band, Sugarfoot, started to rock.

Pat Williams said she was enjoying the hometown feel of Windsor's Independence Day celebration, along with the food from local vendors.

"Tonight we had some of KC's barbecue and it was very good," she said.

Jim Williams said he liked Windsor's warm weather — without Florida's humidity.

The city's fireworks display, held each year on July 3, is a preview of other local celebrations, which include parties, parades and pyrotechnics.

Kids romped on an assortment of inflated jumps and slides, then cooled their feet in the Town Green's fountain.

Picnickers found shade under trees, umbrellas and canopies, waiting for the sun to go down.

Last year, Windsor's Independence Day fireworks show was in danger of fizzling out after the cash-strapped Town Council dropped most of its funding for the free event.

But volunteers raised donations and the show went on.

This year, the Town Council committed about $15,000 for the fireworks, with the agreement that merchants would help defray the costs.

Large crowds watched from nearby Windsor High School. The fireworks were launched from Keiser Park next door.

A community group, Friends of Windsor Fireworks, is accepting donations to help cover the costs. The group has a Facebook page under that name.

You can reach Staff Writer Steve Hart at 521-5205 or steve.hart@pressdemocrat.com.