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The above scene was captured during the Fun Fourth Freedom Fest this past Friday. There were so many people walking downtown, taking advantage of outdoor music and other activities along Elm Street. The photo also shows off the mural at 523 South Elm. While the building dates to the early 1900's, it appears that several changes have been made to the original structure.* One change is the fact that the second floor no longer has windows. However, the flat surface was the perfect "canvas" for the mural of an acoustic guitar and roses. The building looks so different from the early years where there was a hardware store and hotel there.

The mural is by JEKS who is based in Greensboro and has done several murals in Greensboro and beyond.  He is self taught graffiti artist and muralist. The lower blocks of the South Elm Street area are really being known for entertainment. Ziggy's, replacing Artistik, is a live music venue so the mural fits with the building's current purpose. Seeing all of the people, adds great warmth to the mural, and the photo, and just may be reminiscent of the early 1900's years when the downtown area where most business was conducted.

Happy Tuesday!

* see Section 7 p. 54 here for more information.

Before we start today's post, we hope everyone is OK after all of the rain and flooding in the Central North Carolina. Also, if you are seeing pop up ads embedded in Greensboro Daily Photo, we apologize. We are working to try to figure out how to get rid of them. Now, on to today's post.

While Greensboro is a great place for staycations, summer travel elsewhere can be memorable, too.  The Fourth of July is one of the most traveled weekends of summer. In Greensboro, we are about half way between the mountains and the coast and the options are many. For air travel, options are limitless. The above photo was taken during a recent approach into Piedmont Triad International Airport (PTI).  In the air, it is fun to keep looking out the window, until something recognizable comes into view. Here, just behind the plane's wing,  is a clear view of Embassy Suites at I-40. 

We try to use PTI, as opposed to driving to Raleigh or Charlotte. Our local airport is small, but efficient. Lines and crowds are rarely an issue. Chances are, you will you will see someone you know and people don't dread giving you a ride.  Over the past two years, flight options at PTI have increased, as has passenger usage. In reading this article, we also learned that in 2024, PTI had more than 300 international flights on corporate and private jet charters. International travel requires U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. While this won't be happening for the general public at PTI this summer, perhaps it is on the horizon.

Have a great rest of July with these extra hours of daylight!

Today, we’re featuring Meredeth Summers, Minister of Choral Music at White Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church. White Oak Grove, located at 2600 Assembly Road in East Greensboro, traces its roots back to 1905, when a group of believers established a Baptist church under a tree in their community, known as Smith Village.

This photo was taken not at church, but in front of the Gallery of Leaders at the Freedom Park Heritage Site and Museum in Pretoria, South Africa. The location is fitting, as Meredeth wears many leadership hats and serves as a role model to many. In addition to sharing her musical gifts at church, Meredeth is Chief of Staff and Secretary of the Board of Trustees at Guilford College. She refers to herself as a “serial entrepreneur,” having started businesses since childhood and mentored others to do the same.*  Meredeth is also both a lawyer and accountant.

Meredeth has just returned from South Africa where she lead a group of eight participants on a U.S. Department of Education Fulbright-Hays grant, focused on developing an entrepreneurial curriculum and providing cross-cultural awareness. This was the first Fulbright-Hays grant awarded to Guilford College—made possible by Meredeth’s leadership and initiative.

Now back from South Africa, Meredeth hasn’t missed a beat. She’ll be at church today, sharing her musical talent, inspired by the memory of her mother’s pitch-perfect voice and wisdom.

Happy Sunday!

* While Meredeth holds many titles, we’re honoring the Guilford College/Quaker tradition of using first names.

Greensboro's Freedom Fest 2025 was so much fun yesterday. The festival was spread out from Gate City Boulevard to Market Street, along Elm and there were stages for singers on each end. People were singing and dancing. The sun was shining, but temperatures weren't unbearably hot.

The above photo was taken at Hamburger Square, at the railroad tracks, The City of Greensboro had a firetruck out spraying water for all who were interested. Children were thrilled to run through the water. Some were building up confidence, learning to not be afraid of water. The little boy on the left was still in diapers, but already ready to  join the fun.  The next holiday is not until Labor Day and it marks the end of summer. We hope you find a way to enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Happy Saturday!

In researching these posts this week, we learned that the "Fun Fourth" festival in Downtown Greensboro was renamed "Freedom Fest" in 2023. The event will be held from 1:00- 6:00 pm downtown. After a concert in the "Grasshopper stadium," and at dark, the fireworks show will begin.

While the Freedom Fest mostly takes place downtown, today's photo features a scene in the Kirkwood neighborhood, just north of town. For the past 76 years (1949), the families of Kirkwood have been celebrating the holiday as a neighborhood. The event was initiated  by four families who walked around the neighborhood carrying a flag. From this meaningful and humble beginning, the event has grown into a giant celebration with music, a parade on Independence Drive with a  giant flag draped over the street.

Here is a three minute WFMY YouTube video detailing the history. This event is enough to make one want to live in this family-friendly neighborhood, just north of Irving Park.