Last Friday, Rexburg residents gathered at Porter Park to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with food, live music and community activities.

Vendors lined West Second South, offering handmade goods, local products and other items to visitors. Live performances from local artists filled the park as attendees gathered to celebrate the holiday.

Cortney Teeples, owner of Brave Seeker Books in Rexburg, said she was excited to attend the celebration and appreciated the support local businesses receive at community events.

“I love how many cool vendors are here,” Teeples said. "So many local businesses are putting out good products, and I think that the flags over there look amazing.”

Teeples was referring to a temporary flag memorial displayed in Porter Park as part of the celebration. The memorial featured rows of flags representing different periods in United States history and highlighted the changes the American flag has undergone over the past 250 years.

Teeples reflected on what makes her thankful to be an American. 

“I like the sense of pride that comes with being an American and being able to look at what our country has accomplished and feel proud of it,” Teeples said.

Camilla Larsen, a communications major studying journalism, explored the flag memorial and reflected on what makes the Fourth of July such a special day for her. She said the holiday’s ability to bring people together is one of the things she values most.

“It feels like half of Rexburg is here, and just draws everyone together,” Larsen said. “I think there's so much divisiveness today, but the Fourth of July just really unites people and makes us appreciate all our freedoms.”

Editor's Note: This article has been updated to correct a factual error in the original headline. The original headline, "Farmers Market hosts Party in the Park" inaccurately stated who hosted the event. The headline has been corrected to "Rexburg Chamber of Commerce hosts Party in the Park."