Plan Early for Dahlonega’s 4th of July Celebration

DAHLONEGA, Ga. — If you live in Georgia and haven’t celebrated the 4th of July in Dahlonega, you owe it to yourself to do so this year. But you may want to make plans. This little town is bursting at the seams with visitors on Independence Day.

From the 5th Annual Firecracker 5K/10K run through Historic Dahlonega in the morning all the way through one of the most spectacular fireworks displays in Georgia, the day truly has something for everyone. In fact, by the time you head home you will not only be celebrating Independence Day, but the fact that you live in beautiful north Georgia.

Throughout the day, there will be live musical performances on the Chestatee Ford Stage at the Visitors Center Plaza. Enjoy the music as you stroll through the All American Market where you will find dazzling displays of traditional crafts handmade by local artisans.

The young at heart will surely enjoy the Adventure Zone where you can take a ride on the Ace Railroad Electric Trackless Train, get cooled off on the 13-foot water slide or test your skills on the Home Run Derby Game or the Mini All-Star Basketball Challenge.

Dahlonega is steeped in military history and tradition so there will be a Patriotic Ceremony at 10 a.m. featuring inspiring musical performances by the North Georgia Men’s Quartet, a Presentation of Colors and a speech from a keynote speaker.

If you are someone who appreciates the beauty of classic cars, be sure to visit the Gold City Classic Car Show where more than 100 of the finest classic cars in Georgia will be on display at the Lumpkin County Library parking lot on East Main Street.

No 4th of July celebration is complete without a patriotic parade and Dahlonega’s parade, which starts at 5 p.m. is always a crowd pleaser. It starts at Memorial Drive and circles through the historic town square.

It ends just in time for you to grab a bite to eat at one of the many town’s fine restaurants. But don’t take too long. You’ll want to leave enough time to find a spot on the University of North Georgia drill field to witness a spectacular fireworks display to end the evening.