Fireworks, food, fun brings crowd to Chatom for annual Independence Day celebration
American flags are mounted on light poles along the highways in Chatom, signifying the arrival of one of the biggest events of the year, the local Independence Day celebration.
Each year on July 3, visitors and community members look forward to blooming onions, funnel cakes, snow cones, and other favorite treats. They also enjoy live music, games, and entertainment for kids along with a first-class firework show that reflects off Lake Ellis. This year’s event will be held at the Chatom Community Center with more than 2,000 expected to attend.
The Independence Day Celebration Event Coordinator, Fran Thornton, said, “It is amazing. People come from hundreds of miles–Mississippi, Baldwin County, Choctaw County, Clarke County. They tell me they just don’t have anything like this where they live that is both safe or affordable to enjoy.”
The celebration will feature carnival rides provided by Fun Time Event Services, a company based in Waynesboro, Mississippi. In addition to rides, the company will provide water slides and the culminating firework show.
Before the fireworks begin, the town encourages the crowd to set up lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy live entertainment from the Tim Roberts Band. The band plays around 300 shows each year from New Orleans to Panama City. Roberts, a Chatom native, said he is “looking forward to playing in his hometown to celebrate Independence Day.”
While the band is playing, celebration goers can ride on the pirate ship, swings, and spinning top carnival rides. Two water slides for children and an inflatable bull ride for the bravest will be available.
Sunshine the clown, a staple at Chatom’s Independence Day event, will be making her balloon animals. In addition to the fun activities, food will be available from many vendors.
The Town of Chatom prides itself on making the event free except what families choose to buy from the vendors and a $2 parking fee, which is donated to the local Shriners Club.
Along with the Town of Chatom, the event is sponsored by Turner, Onderdonk, Kimbrough & Howell, P.A., B&F Drugs, Andrews Hardware, Smartbank, The First Bank, Millry Communications, Washington County Hospital and Nursing Home, and other businesses in the area.
Event coordinator Thornton, a Chatom native, prides herself on creating a unique, safe, fun, and family-friendly event for her community to enjoy. Thornton’s mission each year is to create an enjoyable event that reflects well on the town. After 15 years, she said she still enjoys the opportunity to create this event “to be able to give back.”
She is constantly trying to find ways to make the evening more efficient, fun, and convenient for others. Thornton shared, “I start planning the night of the Fourth for next year’s celebration.”
One of the behind-the-scenes tasks she does each year is ensuring the show begins as Bailey Hill sings“and the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,” in the “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Thornton sings along with Hill on the phone with the owner of Funtime Events Services across Lake Ellis so he can know when to light the first fireworks.
Local businesses are given the opportunity to bring food trucks or set up tables to sell food or merchandise and ultimately promote their business. The town does not charge the vendors a fee, and all proceeds funnel back into the local businesses.
The town also gives back to the local school by paying an organization, this year the Washington County High School cheerleaders, to help kids put on free festive temporary tattoos. The event is also a volunteer opportunity for the winners of the Little Miss Washington County pageant whose winners pass out free fans, flags, and bubbles.
Mayor Harold Crouch said, “Our Fourth celebration is a mainstay in the town of Chatom because it allows us to celebrate our nation's founding, as well as our veterans, and all of those that supported our veterans in the creation of our county.”
He added, “We are very thankful to everyone in our past history that has made this day possible, and I hope that God continues to bless the town of Chatom.”
Tags: Chatom
