Peachtree City’s July 4th parade got off to a big bang this year.

An area group of the Sons of the American Revolution fired several volleys from their muskets to kick off the parade, alerting everyone near the starting point on the city’s southside that the event was underway, said Randy Gaddo, director of the city’s leisure services division.

There were more city employees along the route helping to close the gaps where motorists in the parade had slowed down to talk, Gaddo noted.

“There were a lot fewer gaps this year,” Gaddo said, adding that there were still more than he liked to see.

It took roughly two hours for the parade to move by any given viewing area along the route, which was packed largely with golf carts and other vehicles on both sides of the road. The event did start on time, Gaddo said.

Some of the larger floats had persons walking alongside making sure children didn’t wander into the vehicle’s path, and city staffers reminded candy throwers on floats to make sure they threw candy past the white line on the border of the road.

One of the more popular floats was the one for Partner’s Pizza, which featured a re-enactment of the flag raising at Iwo Jima, the island in Japan taken by the U.S. after a bloody battle with more than 6,000 U.S. troops killed.

The city’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) also had a well-received float, which featured a small simulated hurricane and a tree that had fallen on top of a building: two scenarios the volunteer group is prepared to help local emergency officials with.

The parade also featured several members of the military and several of the city’s founding firefighters who helped start the then all-volunteer department. And State Rep. Dan Lakly had the distinction of helping start and end the parade. He began at the start, walking with the Veterans of Foreign Wars, which he is a member of. He later doubled back toward the end to stump a little bit, as he is facing competition for his House seat this year from Republican Bill Bonner and Democrat Kevin Madden.

Gaddo said the city’s Sunday afternoon program, Picnic at the Park, was also a big hit, with about 100 people picnicking at the city complex at any given time. There was live music from the 50s to the 70s, and the tourism association provided beach balls for children to play with in the plaza area.

Gaddo said the recreation department hopes to provide similar such events in the future, likely in partnership with the tourism association. The hope is to use the city plaza more often, especially with the presence of the newly renovated and expanded library building, Gaddo said.

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