After a long hiatus, some of our favorite fairs and festivals are making a comeback.

Cancellations made necessary by the COVID-19 pandemic last year halted familiar events, such as Betty Zane Days in Martins Ferry, portions of the Belmont County Fair, the Barnesville Pumpkin Festival and many others. Now that many people who would be most vulnerable to the disease have been vaccinated, restrictions have been lifted, allowing organizers to breathe new life into the traditional activities.

That is good news for people who have been itching to get out of their homes and back to “normal.” Such events will provide opportunities to see old friends, enjoy some entertainment and sample some “fair food.”

Anyone who feels safe doing so should take advantage of the opportunity to enjoy these events as they are revived. Not only will they provide a welcome break from the monotony of staying at home, but they also need your support. Without attendees, sponsors and volunteers, most of these local events would not be possible.

If you do get the chance to visit a fair or festival this summer, remember that most of them offer much more than what you see along the fairway. At the Belmont County Fair, for instance, one of my favorite things to do is tour the animal barns. As a young child, I usually explored those structures with my dad, eagerly reaching out to touch the fur and feathers of the cows, chickens, rabbits and other critters that were on display. In most cases, the animals were quite tame and friendly, and there was almost always an owner or handler nearby to offer guidance and advice for interacting with their livestock.

Other aspects you might not fully appreciate unless you take the time to give them a good look include 4-H project displays, tables loaded with fresh, locally grown produce, buildings filled with crafts for sale and local vendor booths, such as the Olney Friends School pumpkin bread booth at the Pumpkin Festival. In these areas, you can appreciate the time and talent that goes into making beautiful home decor out of materials that others might label as junk or into baking a perfect autumn treat.

In addition to the regular summer circuit of fairs and festivals, this weekend will feature a number of community activities designed to celebrate our Independence. I recommend that you participate in one or more of them if you have the chance.

If you’re a history buff, you may want to visit St. Clairsville on Saturday. There, a new National Road mile marker will be dedicated 196 years after officials celebrated the construction of the road in Ohio there.

If you like the flash and bang of a good fireworks show, there is no shortage of opportunities to attend one. An article on Page 1 of today’s edition lists several communities’ plans.

Speaking of fireworks, though, you cannot be to careful with those volatile devices. The use of commercial fireworks by private individuals is illegal for a reason, and we should respect the law.

After all, being independent also means abiding by the legal system that we worked together to put in place.

Ordinary sparklers and firecrackers can easily cause injuries, so the larger, more explosive fireworks that light up the sky are obviously dangerous.

While celebrating this weekend, be sure that any children who are handling fireworks — even sparklers — are closely supervised by adults. Better yet, leave the firework handling to the adults if very young children are present.

Keep on hand in case of emergency. If one is available, it’s a good idea to have a garden hose handy and ready to use. Water can be used to immediately cool burns to the skin, and it can also be used to extinguish any flames that might be started accidentally.

Use caution when cooking as well, especially if feeding a large crowd. Conditions can become chaotic during such celebrations, and someone can easily be burned by a grill or the grill could flame up out of control if not monitored.

It’s also important to respect your neighbors. Celebrating your freedom should mean treading on the rights of others.

Remember that if you use illegal fireworks that shoot high into the sky, the debris could land anywhere. A hot piece of material could fall on your neighbor’s property — or even on their home. Please don’t take chances with other people’s property, and if some of your debris lands there, clean it up immediately.

Keep in mind, too, that the noise of fireworks is terribly disturbing to some people and animals. Pets, such as cats and dogs, have more sensitive hearing than we do, so the explosions of fireworks may not just startle and alarm them — they might actually hurt their ears.

Livestock can also become very agitated by fireworks. A horse in a field, for example, can become very worked up by seeing bright displays in the sky and hearing the resulting bangs and booms that come along with the show. I have seen horses run themselves to exhaustion while fireworks were being launched nearby, and I wouldn’t be surprised if a few don’t jump their fences if the flashes and noise get too close.

Finally, there are plenty of people who also are extremely sensitive to the noise and flashes of fireworks. they include military veterans, law enforcement personnel, some other first responders and anyone who may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder due to being exposed to gunshots or other similar experiences.

So, please, enjoy yourselves this weekend and this summer, but be considerate of others as you do. Happy Independence Day!