Second Plains, Trains & Fireworks event celebrates Fourth

PLAINS — Southwest Georgians will have the opportunity to celebrate the nation’s Independence Day in the hometown of President Jimmy Carter July 1 with live entertainment by Good Vibrations, a special excursion of the SAM Shortline train, and fireworks set to blow at 9:30pm.

For the second year, the Plains Better Hometown program and the Friends of the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site will present Plains, Trains & Fireworks to celebrate the Fourth of July in Sumter County. The event will start at 6 p.m. with food, fun, celebration spirits and kids’ activities throughout the evening.

More than 3,000 celebrants turned the first PTFW event into a communitywide collaboration, celebrating the legacy of a hometown boy who grew up to be a United States president and the homegrown pride of an entire county. Established as Sumter County’s official Independence Day event, Plains Better Hometown, the Friends of the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site, Americus-Sumter County Tourism, One Sumter, the Sumter County Chamber of Commerce, and the Southwest Georgia Railroad Excursion Authority partnered to present a unique Fourth of July that can only be found in South Georgia.

T-shirts will go on-sale in advance at $15 each, and food vendors and specialty items will be on sale throughout the night. Barbecue, hamburgers and hot dogs for the kids, funnel cakes, popcorn, boiled peanuts, and more will keep attendees fueled as they await the fireworks display. Bungee jumps, face-painting, blow-up bouncy houses, cornhole and more activities will be available for children of all ages.

This year’s event also will feature a special VIP area at the Billy Carter Service Station & Museum, which will offer local and regional foods, craft spirits, and the opportunity for a drop-in visit by President Carter and his First Lady, Rosalynn.

Advance VIP tickets are available through the Plains Better Hometown office for $50 each and are available on a limited, first-come basis. A special excursion train ride of the SAM Shortline is a unique component of Sumter County’s Independence Day celebration, bringing guests from all over the U.S. to celebrate in Peanut Country. PTFW culminates in a 12-minute firework display.

Spirits will be sold on-site to the general public. No outside coolers will be allowed. The city of Americus and Americus Main Street will provide free shuttle service from the Plains Welcome Center to the event location in downtown Plains.

The Plains, Trains & Fireworks event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Plains Better Hometown Director Ruth Sanders at (229) 824-5373.