Laura Young
ECB Publishing, Inc.
It looks as if Jefferson County will not have a community-wide fireworks show for the Fourth of July this year.
American Legion Post #49 has borne the brunt of the cost and labor for the event over the past several years, but after the Post announced they would not be able to do it any more, no other entities have stepped forward to fill that role.
Post Commander Ed Gifford says he hopes there will be support for it in the future. In his view, it is too much for one organization to manage, and it would take several groups working jointly to pull it off.
Planning for a local Fourth of July celebration has not appeared on agendas of either the Monticello City Council or the Jefferson County Commission during the past year, and neither Mayor Gloria Cox nor Commission Chair Chris Tuten responded to multiple recent communications from the Monticello News about the topic.
Residents may be tempted to put on their own fireworks show, but while it is legal, many serious safety hazards are associated with amateurs handling fireworks (see below). Thankfully, there are many nearby towns who would welcome folks from Jefferson County to join in on their community's professionally presented Independence Day celebrations on Tuesday, July 4:
Branford
Join the Town of Branford for the Branford River Reunion's Fourth of July Celebration. Find a spot on the Suwannee River Greenway (located directly behind Town Hall at 502 S.W. Suwannee Ave.) to watch one of the largest duck races in the area, show off your hot-rod in the car show, or just settle down in the shade for some good ole American jams. Of course, you won't want to miss the fireworks. Admission is free.
Jasper
Hamilton County's Independence Day Celebration will be held at the county's park, located at 4525 S.W. 107th Ave., in Jasper. This free event includes live music, bounce houses, waterslides, plenty of vendors and, of course, an explosive fireworks display.
Live Oak
Live Oak's Freedom Festival features live music, bounce houses, plenty of vendors, and an assortment of activities – a little bit of something for everyone, adults and children alike. The evening of camaraderie will end with a bang (literally!) at 9 p.m. with a spectacular fireworks show. This free event is held at Millennium Park, on the corner of Pine Avenue Southwest and West Howard Street.
Madison
The Madison Lions Club hosts their annual God and Country July 4th celebration on the banks of Lake Francis, in Madison. The event kicks off at 5 p.m. and includes vendors, entertainment, a dazzling fireworks display and more. For more information, email mymadisonlionsclub@gmail.com.
Mayo
Get fired up for freedom with the Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce's Annual Fourth of July Celebration. Held each year in Mayo at the Edward Perry Sports Complex (located at 840 N.E. County Rd. 400), young and old are able to enjoy fun games, good food and vibrant fireworks with this free event.
Sopchoppy
One of Wakulla County’s oldest traditions is the downtown Sopchoppy 4th of July Celebration. Festivities begin at 10 a.m. with a parade, followed by a festival at 11 a.m., complete with arts and food vendors and live music at Sopchoppy’s famed Myron B. Hodge City Park on the banks of the Sopchoppy River. At dark, fireworks will illuminate the sky over the picturesque waterfront. For more information, call Sopchoppy City Hall at (850) 962-4611 or visit Sopchoppy.org/events.
Tallahassee
Don your red, white and blue and head to Tom Brown Park this Fourth of July for the City of Tallahassee's Celebrate America event from 6 to 10 p.m. Enjoy live music, food trucks, children's activities and a spectacular, patriotic fireworks display presented by the City of Tallahassee Utilities.
Thomasville
Join the City of Thomasville, Ga., and CNSNext to celebrate Independence Day with fireworks at Remington Park, located at 45 Ben Grace Drive. Fireworks will start at 9 p.m. Please note that for this event: pets are not allowed; golf carts will not be allowed on the grass or fields at Remington Park; and personal fireworks (including sparklers) are not allowed. For more information, please call (229) 227-7001.
If you plan to shoot off your own fireworks, know that by Florida law the Fourth of July is one of only three days when this is allowed, the other two being New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. The Florida statutes define a firework as “any combustible or explosive composition or substance or combination of substances or, except as hereinafter provided, any article prepared for the purpose of producing a visible or audible effect by combustion, explosion, deflagration, or detonation.”
That means anything that uses explosives and launches into the sky using fire, flammable compounds, tablets or any explosive substances is a firework. Common types that fit this definition are
* Blank cartridges
* Toy cannons
* Firecrackers
* Fire-propelled balloons
* Torpedoes
* Skyrockets
* Roman candles
* Dago Bombs
For the approaching holiday, that means these should be used only on the holiday itself – Tuesday, July 4 – and not the weekend before or any other of the surrounding days.
The National Safety Council recommends, however, that you leave fireworks to the experts.
“They may be legal but they are not safe,” their website says.
For anyone who still chooses to risk do-it-yourself fireworks this year, the council has the following safety tips:
* Never allow young children to handle fireworks.
* Older children should use them only under close adult supervision.
* Never use fireworks while impaired by drugs or alcohol.
* Anyone using fireworks or standing nearby should wear protective eyewear.
* Never hold lighted fireworks in your hands.
* Never light them indoors.
* Only use them away from people, houses and flammable material.
* Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
* Only light one device at a time and maintain a safe distance after lighting.
* Never ignite devices in a container.
* Do not try to re-light or handle malfunctioning fireworks.
* Soak both spent and unused fireworks in water for a few hours before discarding.
* Keep a bucket of water nearby to fully extinguish fireworks that don't go off or in case of fire
* Never use illegal fireworks.
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