July Fourth celebrations planned across the region

• From fireworks to barbecues, this weekend will be filled with a number of patriotic festivities.

Cathy Higgins

With the Fourth of July falling on a Friday this year, Southwest Georgians looking for Independence Day activities have an extra abundance of opportunities to choose from.

Below is a sampling of those options:

BAINBRIDGE

A free concert featuring two members of the Country Music Association, followed by a fireworks display, will be held Friday night at the Earle May Boat Basin, located at 110 Boat Basin Road in Bainbridge. The concert will feature a performance by Trent Tomlinson at 7 p.m. and Keith Anderson at 8:30 p.m.

BLAKELY

“The Spirit of America,” a patriotic musical event will be held at 6 p.m. Sunday in the Mangham Auditorium in Blakely.

The free concert will feature a choir of approximately 100 singers and instrumentalists performing patriotic tunes that will be accompanied by video. The large ensemble will be directed by Glenda Bates, minister of music at Cuthbert First Baptist Church in Cuthbert.

The event will also include a tribute to the nation’s flag and a presentation of the colors.

For more information, contact Bates at (229) 732-3050 or gwbates@.at.alltel.net.

COLQUITT

Colquitt-Miller County Chamber of Commerce will host its Fabulous Fourth of July Celebration Thursday, starting at 6:30 p.m., at Spring Creek Park in Colquitt.

Admission is free, but various civic groups will be selling hamburgers, hot dogs, barbecue, water and assorted drinks.

The evening’s activities will include a concert by Shane Owens, a patriotic program presented by the American Legion and the VFW and a fireworks display presented at dark.

Handicap parking available, and participants are encouraged to bring their chairs.

For more information, call (229) 758-2400.

CORDELE

Georgia Veterans Memorial State Park will host a two-day July Fourth Weekend Celebration Friday and Saturday. Activities include Fireworks on the Flint at 9:30 p.m. Friday and old-fashioned games 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday at the campground activity shelter.

The fee is $1 per person per program. For programs at the activity shelter, including the games, participants should stop by the visitor center for the gate combination.

The games will include sack races, tug of war, three-legged races, egg toss, spoon race, egg relay race and a watermelon cutting and seed-spitting contest.

Additional weekend options will include a wagon ride and nature and craft activities.

For more information, call (229) 276-2371.

FORT GAINES

Fort Gaines Firecracker Festival 2008 will be hosted by the Fort Gaines Lions Club Thursday.

Activities include chicken barbecue at 11 a.m. Thursday at Georgia Highway 39 North, across from the Corps of Engineers office in Fort Gaines. Cost is $6.50 per plate for a complete dinner and $5.50 each for chicken halves. For more information, call Roland Tomlinson at (229) 641-3457.

Beside the barbecue, a car show will be held 10 a.m.- 1 p.m., with trophies awarded. For more information, call Garth Duke-Barton at (229) 768-2049.

Throughout the day, the Corps of Engineers office, which has restroom facilities, will be open 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

The day’s finale will be a fireworks display 35 minutes after sundown at the Corps of Engineers office area. Spectators may park at the dike, in designated areas across from the Corps of Engineers and around Mayhaw Pond. Lions Club members and volunteers will collect donations to offset fireworks expenses. For more information, call Bill Gleaton at (229) 334-6104.

George T. Bagby State Park and Lodge will celebrate Fourth of July weekend Thursday-Sunday.

Fee is a $3 park pass per vehicle and a charge for an ice-cream social that’s set for Sunday.

The celebration includes “Crafts for Kids” at 2 p.m. Thursday in the Coleman Conference Room, during which children will make a red, white and blue beaded bracelet. Following the session, a wildlife video on birds starts at 4 p.m.

Friday’s activities start at 4 p.m. with a family-friendly movie, free popcorn and fruit juice in the Coleman Conference Room. A sunset nature hike around the lodge loop trail starts at 8 p.m. Friday and is followed by the Lions Club fireworks display at 9:30 p.m.

At 2 p.m. Saturday, activities include a watermelon-eating contest for kids and adults, a water balloon toss, sponge relay races and sack races.

The final day of the celebration includes a carnival at 2 p.m. Sunday in the Coleman Conference Room with an ice-cream social, face painting and games.

For more information, call (229) 768-2571.

LUMPKIN

Historic Westville will hold a Fourth of July celebration 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors college students with identification and active military, and $4 for children K-12th grade.

Activities include sack races, rolling a hoop, climbing a greased pole for cash and the blowing of the anvil. Barbecue and watermelon will also be available.

The Kiser House restaurant and the museum store will be open for dining and souvenir purchases.

For more information, call 1-888-733-1850 or visit www.westville.org.

OMAHA

Florence Marina State Park will hold its three-day Fourth of July Celebration 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Fee is $3 park pass and $1-$3 for individual activities.

Events will include games, educational programs held on the pontoon boat, reptile shows, family crafts and movies, just to name a few.

For more information, call Trena Evans at (229) 838-4706.

VALDOSTA

Wild Adventures theme park will celebrate July Fourth weekend with several activities, including fireworks displays at 9:30 p.m. both Friday and Saturday and a Saturday concert with former Alabama frontman Randy Owen that starts at 6:30 p.m. In honor of the holiday, military admission is $25 for either Friday or Saturday for those actively serving, dependents, retired veterans and members of the National Guard and Reserve.

For everyone else, festivities are included with park admission.

For more information, call (229) 219-7080.

It seems no matter where you look this weekend, there’s bound to be an ideal Independence Day activity for you.

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