Peachtree City will host a Patriot Day celebration that will be significantly expanded from last year's event.

The free, public family event will be held on Sunday, September 10 at the Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater, with gates opening at 3:00 p.m. and patriotic gathering music starting at 3:30. The official tribute is from 4 to 6 p.m. By Presidential Proclamation, Patriot Day is a day to remember those who were murdered by terrorists on Sept. 11, 2001, and a day to celebrate American Patriotism.

"The positive message we hope to convey is one of Remembrance and Patriotism and pride in being Americans," said Peachtree City Patriot Day organizer Randy Gaddo, who is also the city's director of parks, recreation and library services and a retired Marine.

Three or four talented and divergent musical groups will perform and intersperse their very different styles of music throughout the performance.

The Peachtree Wind Ensemble, the city's own community band composed of friends and neighbors united by a common love of music and country will be featured. Another well-known and respected vocal group, Music Alive, will feature a number of their rousing special arrangements. An exceptionally talented a cappella group known as the Southern Nights Chorale, which last year brought the crowd to its feet, will again present its compelling blend of men's voices joined in patriotic song. At this time the fourth music group has not confirmed its participation.

This year, their show will be augmented by a WWII Rolling Museum, which is a converted fuselage of a C-47 military cargo aircraft. In addition, personnel in uniforms of various services and eras will man authentic military equipment, and, Revolutionary War enactors from the Sons, Daughters and Children of the American Revolution will patrol the areas, educating people about their era and firing off black powder guns of that period during the formal portion of the event.

A special guest speaker to be announced at a later date will bring brief but meaningful messages to the spectators. The event is free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. All amphitheater seating will be available on the same basis. Spectators may bring in food and non-alcoholic drinks or buy food and non-alcoholic beverages from the amphitheater concession, which is planned to be open. Alcoholic drinks will not be allowed at this family event.

In case of inclement weather, the event will be held at First Baptist Church on Willowbend Road, just down the street from City Hall.

Watch for further details. For more information call the Recreation Department at 770-631-2542.

login to post comments