SHERWOOD, Ark. — It's a huge difference in Sherwood this year. In 2020, their annual Independence Day celebration was almost totally empty.
This year, it's a whole different story.
"It's just good to get out of the house," Jordan Hughes, an attendee, said. "It's good to get out here, be free. Seeing everybody walking around, enjoying their time, their food."
The celebration is starting to become a tradition to Hughes.
"So blessed to be out here to do this every year. This'll be my third year," he said.
For others, it's their first time out.
"We've never been to anything like this before," Skye Billingsley said. "Our son and daughters' first year of seeing actual big fireworks, so we'll see how that goes."
Whether this is a new tradition or an old one, one thing stays true – this doesn't look the same as it normally does.
"We waited a little to plan this event, a little longer than we normally do because we just weren't sure," Misty Raper, spokesperson for Sherwood, said.
Although fireworks were still set off, crowds like the ones seen Saturday were no where to be found.
"It wasn't as much people as it is now. There's a lot of people out right now, but it's different. A lot of change," Hughes said.
That change was caused by COVID-19.
Things that normally happen – the city usually gives out free hot dogs – all sidelined because of the pandemic.
"We don't have a lot of the things that are real close-up and close with each other," Raper said.
While things don't look quite the same this year, it's still a chance to make this look like the Fourth of July again.
"It's kind of slow, but that's what we need. We don't need everybody out all at the same time," Hughes said. "It's really good to know that people still just come out and enjoy things. Life is too short not to do anything."