Area events bringing ‘bang’ to July 4
The booming beauty of fireworks will be felt and heard over the shores of Crooked Creek Marina in Eatonton this year as owners Mike and John Jansen host a fireworks spectacular to end a day of festivity and fun.
This Saturday, July 4, Crooked Creek will be providing food and music beginning at 11:30 a.m. and will continue musical performances throughout the day until a scheduled fireworks display at 9:30 p.m. that evening.
The 120/80 Vocal Band, Renegade and Moreland are all scheduled to perform for those in attendance during the day.
“We will have live entertainment from 11:30 until fireworks. We’re doing barbecue, hamburgers, hotdogs and lakeside barbecue chicken,” John Jansen said.
The 120/80 Vocal Band will perform from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Renegade will perform from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Moreland will perform from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
“We also did a fireworks display last year and it went over great. We had about three to five thousand people in attendance if you count all the people who were on the water,” Jansen said.
This year’s fireworks display will be performed by the private pyrotechnic group Pyrotechnico, a five-generation family business that has been recognized as among the best in its field in world fireworks competitions in the past few years.
The company’s fireworks display is one not to be missed, according to Jansen.
“We did a fireworks display last year, which literally had people on the water hooting and hollering on the water for 45 minutes. It’s just great,” Jansen said. “The show is sure to bring you to your feet with your jaws dropped in amazement.”
Crooked Creek will close its boat ramps from 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday evening to ensure the safety of its patrons and those on the lake in the immediate area.
“It’s the best fireworks show in Milledgeville and Eatonton hands down,” Jansen said.
The Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynold’s Plantation, will hold a fireworks festivity Friday night in conjunction with the Oconee Performing Arts Society, featuring a concert from the Atlanta Pops Orchestra and a performance by musician Phil Driscoll.
“The fireworks display is open to the public, but it’s not free,” Lisa Kubik with Ritz-Carlton Lodge said Monday. “The public is welcome to attend, but there are reserved chair general seating at $35 per person, with lawn area seating at $10 and kids 12 and under $5. We will be providing off-property shuttle transportation with free parking, but an on-property parking pass is $20.”
Crooked Creek Marina is located on 208 Crooked Creek Drive in Eatonton.
The facility is located off Pea Ridge Road to Scuffleboro Road and may be contacted by calling (706) 485-9693.