Crowds turn out for Independence Day celebrations in Albany
Staff Photo: Carlton Fletcher
By Carlton Fletcher
& Tara Dyer
[email protected]
ALBANY — After missing last year’s 4th of July celebration due to the coronavirus pandemic, southwest Georgians chose to party like it was … well, 2019, Sunday.
Other than a couple of heat-related incidents, Albany Officials say Sunday’s Independence Day celebration in the city, which included live music, vendors and a massive fireworks display, went off without incident.
“The 4th of July celebration went extremely well, with no incidents occurring that would cause harm to the public,” Albany Police Department Chief Michael Persley said Monday morning about Sunday night’s celebration. “Those in attendance were there to have fun and conducted themselves in an orderly manner. We did respond to a couple of heat-related situations, but those persons were tended to by onsite medical personnel.
“This year we saw more families come out and enjoy the entertainment and fireworks show.”
Thousands of revelers came to the Veterans Park Amphitheatre for some four hours of pre-fireworks music, and the massive display kicked off at 9:30 p.m. Long lines of attendees waited patiently to get shaved-ice drinks, cupcakes and other goodies, while youngsters danced to the music in front of the amphitheater stage, shot streams of bubbles into the air with their bubble guns and enjoyed being part of the throng that walked between the amphitheater and Riverfront Park in the blocked-off downtown section of the city. In the park, energetic youngsters played on the playground equipment while parents watched.
Earlier, at Cox Landing on Lake Chehaw, a dozen or so watercraft lined up for the 4th of July Boat Parade. And at Chehaw Park, 16 members of the Wheeler family from Albany and Camilla patiently waited for grill masters Freddie and James Wheeler to finish cooking slabs of ribs and chicken quarters.
“We try to all get together every 4th of July and Easter,” Freddie Wheeler said. “It’s always a good time for the family.”
Adjacent to the Wheeler family cookout, youngsters enjoyed the cooling waters of Chehaw’s Splash Pad.
And all across the area, families and friends gathered in what turned out to be an unusually pleasant day — several degrees cooler than recent Independence Day holidays — for cookouts or swim parties in a return to as close to normalcy as everyone dared get after last year’s celebration became a victim of the worldwide pandemic. Some in the crowds wore masks, but most carried on in a basically pre-pandemic manner.
“The men and women of the Albany Police Department, in conjunction with various city departments (Fire, Facilities Maintenance, Parks and Recreation, etc.), provided a professional service to the citizens, which made it a pleasant and safe environment to be in,” Persley said. “We are grateful to the citizens for their support, and we look forward to serving them at future events.”
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