Photo by Paula Merritt / The Meridian StarKaren Williamson, 3, waves pom poms as she slides down the hill at Bonita Lakes during Fourth of July festivities Wednesday.

When Payton Lippert was looking for something fun to do on Wednesday, she didn’t have to look very far.

She did exactly what she’s done for the past 15 years – head over to Bonita Lakes in Meridian to celebrate the Fourth of July in style.

Lippert returns to the patriotic celebration each year because it gives her a chance to relax and catch up with loved ones.

“I like it because we get to take time out of our busy schedules to get together with friends and family, and just hang out,” said Lippert, who has attended the annual festivities since she was 6 years old.

Lippert was spotted playing a friendly game of cornhole with Garrett Gibson, who’s also been coming to the annual event since he was a kid.

‘We’ve got a good group of folks around here,” Gibson said, waving to a large group shaded beneath a nearby tent. “Friends, family, neighbors. We’ve got barbecue over here, and cornhole over here. We usually have a wiffle ball game, but not many people showed up to participate this year. We just have a real fun time out here.”

Across the lawn and up the hill, LaTasha Williams and her family sat at a large picnic table, watching their children play and enjoying each others’ company.

Last year was their first trip to the celebration, and they enjoyed it so much, they came back.

“We had a great time,” Williams said. “We brought some food and enjoyed the fireworks, and the kids got to play, so we came back.”

Down the hill and near the lake, Mandy Timms camped out on a blanket with her 10-month-old son, Aspen. She said they were enjoying their first Fourth of July in Meridian.

“We actually just moved here from Miami,’” Timms said with a bright smile. “So we wanted to come see the fireworks show. It’s very kid-friendly.”

In addition to the fireworks show, the evening also featured a variety of tasty food and live music for the crowd.