July 4 is the big showcase day for Peachtree City, as thousands of people are expected to line the parade route in the morning and take in the fireworks in the evening.
City officials are asking the public to make sure to keep children out of the roadway during the parade, and parents are urged to keep a close eye on their children. Every year someone is struck by a parade vehicle while attempting to retrieve candy, officials said.
Citizens are also asked to make sure they don’t block the right of way by leaving tables, tents, stakes and other large objects overnight along the parade route on Peachtree Parkway. Police officers will remove all hazards and also will pull up above-ground stakes, rebar, boulders, logs, tree limbs and the like. The city suggests blankets and tarps can be secured with in-ground tent stakes, in-ground nails, sand bags, water jugs and floor mats.
Parade-related traffic delays are expected on south Peachtree Parkway, Robinson Road, McIntosh Trail and Crosstown Road starting at 7 a.m. as parade floats begin to line up. The parade starts at 9 a.m. and will use the southbound lanes of Robinson Road, the northbound lanes of Peachtree Parkway and all of McIntosh Trail between the parkway and Lake Peachtree.
Access to neighborhoods along the parade route will be severely restricted during the parade and subsequent cleanup until noon. Anyone needing emergency access should contact the nearest police officer or call 770-461-HELP (4357).
The public safety expo and water battle will be at Drake Field from 4 to 7 p.m. On tap are the traditional water battle, fire hose demonstrations, an accident extrication demonstration, a bike skills course (bring your bicycle and helmet), K-9 teams and, weather permitting, the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department’s helicopter.
The fireworks display will begin at dusk, around 9:30 p.m. At City Hall patriotic music will be played and concessions will be available at City Hall and Battery Way.
The Battery Way park will be closed to golf carts, automobiles, boats and trailers due to significant crowding in the area. Parking will be available along one side of Battery Way and at the Methodist Church on Peachtree Parkway and Windgate Road.
The boat dock at Battery Way will also be closed during the fireworks.
The path through the Battery Way park will remain open to golf carts but no golf cart parking will be allowed along the grassy causeway.
Another path that will close leads from the Ga. Highway 54 path bridge to the front parking lot of Partners II Pizza at the Aberdeen shopping center. That path will close starting at 2 p.m. because of the large number of pedestrians who will view the fireworks in that area.
The bridge and the path behind Aberdeen Center will remain open.
After the fireworks many traffic lights will be placed on flashing mode to accommodate the large number of vehicle on Ga. highways 54 and 74, officials said. If a police officer is not present to direct traffic, drivers are reminded that a flashing yellow light means to proceed with caution while a flashing red light means to stop and yield right of way to other vehicles in the intersection.
