Gastonia celebrates red, white, and new with first annual festival & fireworks | News

GASTONIA, NC (WBTV) - Gastonia is celebrating Independence Day with its first annual "Red, White, and New Festival" that's also serving as a "grand reopening" for downtown.

20,000 people are expected to attend the festival on July 4.  Most of downtown Gastonia is blocked off to make room for amusement rides, food and craft booths, a car show, and more.  The festival began at 11 am and is running until 8pm, with fireworks at 9.

Many downtown business owners helped organize the festival and are using it as an opportunity to show off their new businesses and get to know the community.

"We're all just very excited to get the word out about everything that's going on down here," said Sue Ann Robb, a lifelong Gaston County resident who recently opened "Running With Scissors," a new salon downtown.

Robb said the festival is just one of many exciting developments in Gastonia.  The city has made several recent announcements about renovation projects in the works for some of the city's best known, historic landmarks. 

Red, White, and New will now become an annual event for Gastonia, and Robb says it'll help the revitalization efforts that are now in full swing.

"There's a lot of potential, and people need to funnel all of their resources back into their hometown."

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