SOUTHPORT, N.C. (WECT) – The North Carolina Fourth of July Festival brings over 40,000 people to the Town of Southport, and neighbors who live there say it’s all about celebration and tradition.

The North Carolina Fourth of July Festival has been going on since 1795. The event has grown bigger over the years and now spans as a five-day celebration.

“It’s one of the reasons why I moved here, I have been coming here since 2003,” said Southport Mayor Richard Alt. “It is the embodiment of small-town America: red, white and blue everything, patriotic everything,” he added.

He says the festival brings a sense of pride to neighbors in Southport and they look forward to the celebration every year. However, he says the town only sees 1.9% of the sales tax revenue that is generated from the festival.

According to Alt, generated money goes to the state of North Carolina first, then to Brunswick County and is lastly divided up per capita. Less than 5,000 people live in Southport, leaving the town with a smaller portion of the money.

Alt says it’s not about the money for him or the residents, but more about what the town brings to tourists who stop by.

“The financial impact is not as great as most people think it is,” said Alt. “We do not do it for the money, that is simply not the case,” he added.

“This is a true celebration of our America’s Independence. It’s a birthday party and it’s a multi-day event to celebrate a birthday, a very important birthday obviously and I want them to leave loving Southport, enjoying their experience,” said Trisha Howardth, publicity director of the N.C. Fourth of July Festival.

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