The night was relatively cool, the crowd calm and collected, and for the 32nd year the newspaper arranged for the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra to accompany the city's biggest pyrotechnical display on the occasion of the country's birthday.
Pops on the River was presented by the Democrat-Gazette and sponsored by Landers FIAT. It took place at First Security Amphitheater, and it was free.
The day began at noon. Active military and veterans who checked in with the Military Appreciation Tent received discounts at many of the food trucks and vendors; the first 100 received door prizes. The newspaper and CHI St. Vincent coordinated Salute the Troops activities that included a letter-writing station at the Kids Pavilion and a video messaging station that appears on ArkansasOnline.com/salute (which is still up and active).
The symphony concert kicked off with our national anthem, sung by Oh Say! Can You Sing? winner LaSheena Gordon. She was picked from among finalists in the competition's final round earlier that day.
Along with Landers FIAT and CHI St. Vincent, the event's corporate supporters included Delta Dental, Chick-fil-A, the City of Little Rock, MetroPCS, and AR Dental and Braces, among others.
High Profile on 07/12/2015