If you had planned to enter

Peachtree City's annual Fourth of July parade to get a

slew of free advertising, you might have to look into

other avenues to get your name recognition.

That goes for all groups

and individuals, whether they are local businesses,

political candidates, or neighborhood organizations, said

Susan Taylor of the Peachtree City Recreation Department.

The recreation department

began taking parade entry forms yesterday. The entries

will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis.

Each group will be limited

to one float, golf cart, automobile or marching group to

help shorten the parade, Taylor said. Last year's Fourth

of July parade lasted two-and-a-half hours, she

estimated.

The idea is also to take

the commercialism out of the parade and make it more

family-oriented, Taylor said.

This year, the parade

starts at 10 a.m. and all parade entries must be

decorated. Decor of a patriotic theme is suggested,

according to the new rules issued by the recreation

department. Trophies will be awarded in several different

categories as judged by a three-person panel, Taylor

said.

In the past, some groups

have used several vehicles in the parade and some weren't

decorated well, Taylor said.

"We are glad for

commercial, organizational and church interest, but the

parade has gotten longer and longer every year,"

Taylor said.

The new requirements will

help new groups and individuals enter the parade who

haven't been able to in the past, Taylor added. By

limiting entry to one per group, it creates more room for

others, she said.

"We,re still giving

people the exposure, but we're allowing more people to

participate," she said.

The band in this year's

parade will be a combination of students from McIntosh

and Starr's Mill high schools, Taylor said. But she hopes

the music doesn't stop there: all participants are

encouraged to bring a stereo or other device to play

patriotic music along the parade route to entertain the

crowd.

The parade will line up in

front of Booth Middle School and travel north on

Peachtree Parkway, turning westbound on Flat Creek and

finishing at City Hall Plaza. To be judged for awards,

entries must be lined up by 9 a.m. Organizers expect the

parade to last as long as two hours.

Another change for Fourth

of July festivities is that the free concert will be held

at City Hall instead of the Frederick Brown Jr.

Amphitheater. The new location will keep residents from

having to choose between attending the 7:30 p.m. concert

or getting a good seat for the fireworks show, which

starts at 9:30, Taylor said.

Residents are encouraged to

bring blankets or lawn chairs to the event, but a sound

system will be used so the Peachtree Wind Ensemble can be

heard throughout the area, Taylor said.