Chattahoochee celebrates freedom and unity on July 4

The Fourth of July is often a momentous experience of unity for the Chattahoochee community. Near the River Basin in Clyde Hopkins Park, hundreds crowded for the annual experience of vendors, music, fireworks, and food. This year’s Fourth of July multitude combated midsummer’s sweltering mugginess while embracing the joy of celebration, encapsulating the feeling of freedom as many gathered from counties away to attend the famed event.
“It is a local tradition that has been going on for a long while, and we have especially to thank the many people and city volunteers who helped assist this happening, lots of years now with no money involved,” said Mayor Christopher Moultry – who also had his recently opened small business Chatta-Ice on site, serving mixtures of lemonade and shaved ice. “We’ve got it all, barbeque and sweets, and with coordination with the departments we want to make this event bigger, and better than last year’s.”
Moultry also expressed a desire to have Chattahoochee continue demolishing past records, as the previous 4th of July event was recorded as having crowds of upwards of 6,000 people.
“This is an event for the citizens, free for vendors and free admission,” said City Councilmember Anquarnette “Anne” Richardson. She has, as far back as she remembers, journeyed to River Landing for the annual event. “This has been happening for decades now; it excites us because above being a celebration, it is a sign of unity between our city and the neighboring others. Remember, it is not just for residents – it is regional. This celebration has a decidedly massive economic impact and great increase of social capital.”
Such sentiments were also echoed by City Manager Robert Presnell, who mentioned that Hurricane Michael – which left Chattahoochee in tatters – and the global Covid-19 Pandemic had prevented a proper display of Fourth of July fireworks through the city’s citizen’s commission. “We love our city,” said Presnell, “Together with coordinators and sponsors we see this growing every year.”
Mentioned particularly in thanks were also Jim Glass, Board Member of the Planning and Zoning Commission, and his wife Cindy who have for years now organized and helped plan the celebrations and were in the expressions of gratitude by all who gave statements.
Views on the unified nature of the celebrations were, too, expressed by travelers and friends to locals. Vendor Vanessa Martin of Climax, Georgia, found herself and her family comforted by the inviting mood of the processions. “We drove all of the way down here at the behest of a friend. The coordinators were extremely friendly, and the set-up was remarkably simple and didn’t take very long – about an hour,” said Martin.
Her food-stand, Nessa’s Southern Cuisine specializes in Southern classics such as fried fillet sandwiches and shrimp platters.
“My intentions are to create long-lasting friendships, and experiences. Sales are secondary. Especially the impression even that this is just new – new and nice – to us because this is my first ever time in Chattahoochee.”
A lineup of local bands played the stage at Clyde Hopkins before the launch of the fireworks at dusk, including such groups as Ghee and J.D Taylor Band. Intermittent announcer for the shows was Tiffany Parsons-Buckhault, President of the Chattahoochee Woman’s Club. Her father Judge Stewart “Stew” Parsons, before death in 2022, was the MC at the Fourth of July Celebration for many years, and played with his Spare Change Band at many celebrations around the Panhandle-Big Bend Region; her connection, she mentioned, was multi-fold and was surely honored to fill the shoes left by her father and predecessor.
Speeches were given by many of the Chattahoochee executives, including aforementioned Mayor Christopher Moultry, Mayor Pro-Tem Ann Williams, and the various city council members. As soon as dusk approached, crowds gathered to watch the fireworks display. They were launched from across the river on an elevated clearing in neighboring Jackson County. A group of certified firework technicians and fire marshals were on the scene to assure the fireworks went off safely and with a minimal amount of danger.
Many gasped, and everyone was in awe of the spectacle in the River Landing that evening. The Fourth of July event ended around 10 p.m.