Three hundred drones, eleven minutes, and an entire park's collective gasp. On this episode of The Valley Today, host Janet Michael sits down at Jim Barnett Park's Active Living Center with Winchester City Parks Director Chris Konyar to recap the city's first-ever drone show (the Winchester logo perfectly drawn in the sky, the animated Patsy Cline, the Apple Blossom bloom, all to celebrate the VA250 anniversary) and to preview Red, White & Boom — Independence Eve at the park on Friday, July 3rd.

Chris walks through the full Red, White & Boom lineup: a pool DJ, the Fun Zone with a dozen inflatables and water slides on the turf, a magic show at 5 PM, three live music acts starting at 6 PM (a bluegrass band led by Zach Townsend, a patriotic cover band, and a tribute band), a Winchester Royals home game against the New Market Rebels with free admission, food and craft vendors, and a slightly bigger-than-usual fireworks finale shot from Bodie Grimm. Then the conversation turns to everything still ahead this summer — Parks and Rec Month in July, the Fun in the Sun pool event on July 18th, additional sports camps (soccer, volleyball, tennis, the new softball camp, the sport sampler), continued swim lessons through July and August, junior lifeguard and junior counselor programs, and the increasingly popular drop-in turf passes now that the season has wound down for everyone else. Plus a recurring theme worth a podcast all its own: thank a Parks employee.

RED, WHITE & BOOM (INDEPENDENCE EVE)

Friday, July 3, 2026 Jim Barnett Park • Pool opens at noon (regular admission) • Fun Zone (inflatables, water slides) opens 12:30 PM • Food and craft vendors throughout the afternoon on Hinkel-Harris field • Magic show — 5:00 PM • Live music — 6:00 PM until fireworks (Zach Townsend bluegrass, patriotic cover band, tribute band) • Winchester Royals vs. New Market Rebels — game starts around 5:00-5:30 PM, free admission • Fireworks at dusk, shot from Bodie Grimm

WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING THIS SUMMER AT JIM BARNETT PARK

POOL & AQUATICS (open daily 12:00–6:30 PM) • Swim lessons — multiple July and August sessions, weekday morning, weekday afternoon, and Sunday • Adult lessons available • Aqua fitness classes and other fitness classes • Fun in the Sun pool event — Friday, July 18 (with regular pool admission) • Indoor pool available year-round

SPORTS CAMPS (July and August) • Soccer (July session) — led by the Shenandoah University soccer coach and college players • Volleyball (August session) • Tennis camp • Softball camp — new this year, run by the Handley softball coach • Girls and Boys Sport Sampler Camp (July) — try-everything camp for younger kids • Drop-in turf — significantly more availability now that league seasons are over

LINKS & RESOURCES

• Winchester Parks and Recreation: winchesterva.gov/parks (online registration, full activity guide, schedules)

• Summer Activity Guide — available online and in print

• Monthly e-newsletter — sign up via the Parks website for highlights of upcoming events

• Winchester Royals: winchesterroyals.org (schedule and game info)

THE VALLEY TODAY with Janet Michael — A decade of conversations.

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