Fun fourth in Suches

Kids participated in sack races.

The Suches Fire Department can't quite remember when it all started, it was a dozen or so years back, when a few gathered in a member's backyard on the 4th with some bottle rockets. Not so these days. When the department gathers to celebrate the birth of our country, it gets done up right.

On Wednesday, the Fourth of July, we did it up right. The fireworks are still the main thing, but they are bigger and better than ever and draw folks from all over the county and beyond, from nearby counties and from as far away as Atlanta. Every year the show is better organized and better run and the results show it and are noted by all who attend. This year visitors filled the bleachers on the field, sat on blankets on the field, largely covered the bank above the field, sat in lawn chairs in the parking lot above the bank, overflowed into the school front parking lot and the station lot across the road before spilling out along the highway on both sides for a half mile. They were not disappointed if one is to believe comments made by those who came to see the show.

The watermelon eating contest.

Several years ago it was noted that people were showing up pretty early to get good seats so the department opened a small concession stand. This proved so successful that it became a regular (and expected) part of the evening. Visitors came down to the concession stand from all those places where they sat and enjoyed the food as well as fellowship before the show began. A couple of years after the concession got started, some recorded patriotic music was added and this too was well received. Not content to let it go at that, local blue grass musicians were invited and they too have become a welcome part of the tradition.

This year brought yet another element to the event. The department recently took delivery of a new fire engine thanks to to the generosity of the county and many individuals and businesses from Suches and beyond and this was on display before the fireworks and provided stand-by protection during the display.

Also on hand was one of the five 2,000 gallon pumper/tankers currently being delivered to the five volunteer districts in the county. They are also financed by county money as well as the fund raising efforts of the districts. The Suches department is indebted to Station 3 and its members for the loan of this equipment so Suches residents and visitors had a chance to see both of the new trucks, which will greatly improve the firefighting capabilities of the community.....and a good time was had by all!

Many boats featured patriotic themes. The frisbee toss was a popular event. This boat was decorated as a candy factory. Fireworks of all shades and sizes sent a colorful light show booming across the sky above Meeks Park.