How Kerrville plans to celebrate 4th of July while honoring the Hill Country flooding victims
This weekend, communities all across the nation will honor America's 250th birthday.
But for those in the Texas Hill Country, the holiday weekend comes with a reminder of unimaginable loss and families forever changed by the 2025 July Fourth floods that killed more than 135 people.
But just like the majestic cypress trees that line the Guadalupe River, this community is resilient and strong.
As the Hill Country approaches the holiday weekend, Stacie Leporati, Director of Kerrville Fourth on the River, says scars from the flood one year ago are still visible.
"I think the biggest thing we can see from the natural disaster is the trees. The trees have been destroyed," Leporati says. "If you just look around, it's the parks that are the visible wounds we still have."
In towns like Kerrville, along the river in the Hill Country, this alcove of Texas is still hurting and still healing, but the rhythms of life are still felt.
"We are all still grieving, and grief comes in many stages," Leporati says.
The Hill Country is still showing resilience.
"The community has always been strong, but it has come together even more after last Fourth of July."
This weekend, the community will rally together again for special events focused on harmony… and hope.
"We've been planning for what this would look like since July 6 of last year. We knew it was going to be a challenging time for everyone involved," Leporati says.
Events have been organized in a way that gives this community a place to both celebrate and grieve.
"We decided to spread Fourth of July events over two days," Leporati says. "So our goal on Thursday, July 3, at Faith and Fellowship is more about commemoration. It's togetherness, it's worship. Then on Friday, July 4, we'll focus on uplifting the heroes who have been working nonstop through the last year, as well as honoring our nation's heroes."
An emotionally complicated balance, with a simple goal in mind.
"Our goal is just for people to find some comfort, find some healing, and maybe some normalcy. We've come together as a community so many times since then, and we are here. We are open for business. We want you all to come down, be with us, support us, and help us celebrate the resilience of this community."
The July 3 event is called "Faith and Fellowship" and starts at 6 p.m. It's an evening focused on healing and togetherness. There will be opportunities for people to paint mosaic tiles that will be used in a future memorial art piece, and there will be a candlelighting ceremony to honor those who were lost.
The July Fourth event will celebrate both the country's history and this community's resilience and strength, specifically honoring and recognizing many of the local heroes who stepped up to help in the hours and days after July 4, 2025.
