Albany and other venues to celebrate Independence Day with fireworks

ALBANY — The four classic elements will come into play the night of July 4 when viewers sit on earth to watch fireworks in the air and over the water in downtown Albany.

Kristin Caso of the Albany Recreation and Parks Department said the annual Independence Day show, which moved back to downtown last year, will return to the Broad Avenue bridge, which is dedicated to war veterans, for the first time since the old bridge was used as a staging area in 2008.

“You get so much more bang for your buck when you have it on the bridge,” she said Wednesday. “I cannot overemphasize how good the fireworks look over the water. It is spectacular.

“The (Flint) River is one of our greatest assets,” she said, adding the fireworks show brings attention to it. “Other cities would love to have a river running through them.”

The fireworks show, a longtime Albany tradition for the Fourth of July, will culminate a busy weekend downtown, including activities in the riverfront area all day July 4. The first volley will launch around 9:30 p.m. following local live music in the Veterans Park Amphitheater 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., she said. The fireworks show, which will include both overhead and ground-level displays, will last about 35 minutes.

“We’ll have the fireworks set to music,” she said. “We’ll have overhead fireworks, and ground displays as well. It’s going to be great.”

One of the highlights, Caso said, will be a fiery cascade that will “pour” from the Broad Avenue bridge above the river. It’ll start slowly, then the pace will pick up, she said.

“It’s called Niagara Falls,” she said. “It literally is a cascading fireworks that looks like water. He’ll do it off both sides of the bridge.”

“He” is city employee Gale Henry, who plans and oversees the show. “Our fireworks are done by city employees,” she said, noting that the cost of the show — $25,000-$29,000 — would likely triple if the city were to contract a professional company to put it on. “There’s no way we could afford to go out and purchase a fireworks show like the one we put on,” Caso said, adding city employees involved are trained and certified to perform the work safely.

She said the move back downtown from the Exchange Club fairgrounds went “extremely well last year. There were no incidents. It was really, really awesome.”

This year, vendors will set up on North Front Street area from the Flint RiverQuarium to Ray Charles Plaza. The Broad Avenue bridge will be closed off to traffic, as will some downtown streets. Vendors will set up along Front Street, selling food and drinks, patriotic items and other things. Downtown attractions including the RiverQuarium and Thronateeska Heritage Center will have special events and deals doing on, too.

“There will be a lot of activity during the day,” she said.

What organizers are hoping is that those who come downtown for the fireworks will park at the Civic Center parking lots and take the Riverfront Trail to walk over to the Riverfront Park area, which will have the best viewing location for the fireworks show. “Of course, they can watch it from the Civic Center parking lot of they want to,” Caso said.

While those attending can bring lawn chairs and blankets, spectators will not be allowed to bring alcoholic beverages or their own fireworks, including sparklers.

“This is a family-friendly event,” Caso said.

Meanwhile, those who want to celebrate Independence Day a little earlier with a bang have a couple of choices on July 1.

Marine Corps Logistics Base-Albany’s annual Independence Day celebration is 4 p.m.-10 p.m. that day. Military working dogs demonstrations, music and activities will get under way in the afternoon before the fireworks at dark. Food and beverage vendors will be on site.

Visitors to the base event can bring lawn chairs and blankets, but no coolers, alcoholic beverages or weapons are allowed. Contact (229) 639-5268 for information.

Those in the Tifton area can drop by the Independence Day Celebration at Georgia Museum of Agriculture at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton. The ag center opens for special hours 6 p.m.-10 p.m. on July 1 for the event. Contact (229) 391-5205 for information.

On July 2, Fireworks at the ‘Nole will take place 10 a.m.-10 p.m. at Seminole State Park near Donalsonville. That event will include a fireworks show over Lake Seminole. The cost is $5, plus the $5 parking fee. Contact (229) 861-3137 for information.

Wild Adventures Theme Park in Valdosta has special activities July 1-4, with two nights of fireworks. The pyrotechnics will light up the skies at dusk on July 3 and 4. The event is free with park admission. Visit www.wildadventures.com for information.

Another spot with fireworks and water also will take place 8 p.m.-10 p.m. on July 4. The SAM Shortline Train at Cordele will blow the whistle for its BBQ & Fireworks On The Lake Express. The event includes a barbecue dinner over Lake Blackshear and evening train ride through the Sumter County countryside. On the return, the train will park on the Lake Blackshear trestle for a fireworks show over the lake. Contact (229) 276-0755 for tickets and information.

To the south, Thomasville will have its downtown July 4th CNS Fireworks & Festival under way at 6:30 p.m. with games, food and music. The fireworks start bursting at 9:30 p.m.

And Callaway Gardens at Pine Mountain will wrap up its three-day July 4th Star-Spangled Beach Party with a bright bang. Its fireworks show is scheduled to launch at 9:30 on July 4. Contact 1 (800) 852-3810 for information.