Perry honors hometown heroes this weekend with Independence Parade and fireworks

Families will gather along street corners patiently waiting to see Uncle Sam, waving flags displaying bright hues of red, white and blue before fireworks light up the night sky.

The sixth annual Independence Parade and Freedom Fireworks event returns to Perry on Sunday to celebrate July Fourth.

The family-oriented event will begin at 6 p.m. with a parade and also will include vendors and live entertainment, according to Darlene McLendon, president and CEO of the Perry Chamber of Commerce.

“Enjoy an evening of fun, music and fireworks,” she said. “Bring blankets, chairs and frisbees to a family-safe environment.”

The 143-unit parade will include two Grand Marshals, Crawford Hicks and Keath Morgan. Hicks is a pilot who flew several air crafts in World War II. The pilot’s last mission was shot down and he was a prisoner of war for a year. Morgan, another great American hero, survived the “battle of the bulge” in which 1,900 soldiers were killed.

The parade will begin on Washington Street and make a right onto Main Street. It will continue on and make a left on Gen. Courtney Hodges Boulevard and move into the north gate of the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter.

Popular attractions such as the Macon Shriners and Uncle Sam will be back this year as part of the parade.

The fairgrounds will be open to the public and the whole community is invited to enjoy the attractions. There will be a kids zone that will include inflatables. Children will need wristbands, available for $10, to enter this area.

A special attraction located on the fairgrounds will be a demonstration from the Silver Wings, a parachute team that performs live aerial demonstrations to support the Army.

“Middle Georgia is very patriotic. I come from a military family and think it is great to show support to active military and people who have served in the past,” said Bonnie Giles, director of events and communication at the Perry chamber.

The Perry Military Affairs Committee sponsors a VIP tent for Robins Air Force Base command staff. The tent will allow the staff to network with community members as well as chamber members.

Honoring the legacy of this nation and the lives of those who have served and currently are serving is the central theme of the occasion. The chamber aims to use this event to honor the country but especially hometown heroes.

“The veterans present will be honored throughout the event but especially in the parade. We allow them the opportunity to ride in specified vehicles for any veteran willing to participate,” Giles said.

Fireworks will close out the evening and will begin at dark. The show will be by the west gate of the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter and will be the longest display the event has ever had, Giles said.

For safety purposes, the following items are prohibited from the fairgrounds: personal fireworks and sparklers, alcohol, pets and personal flames.

This story was originally published June 21, 2017 at 1:33 PM with the headline "Perry honors hometown heroes this weekend with Independence Parade and fireworks."