A longstanding Athens tradition, the annual Star Spangled Classic fireworks display will be held at Ben Epps Airport on Saturday, July 3 at approximately 9:30 p.m. The festivities are scaled down in the same COVID-19-conscious format as last year.
Previously, the Independence Day celebration has been held at Bishop Park, Georgia Square Mall and downtown Athens. It moved to the airport in 2020 to provide the space required for social distancing. Spectators are encouraged to find a parking space and watch from their cars.
According to Leisure Services Community Relations Specialist Cathy Padgett, who has helped staff the event since 2000, the location shift to the Eastside has been welcomed. “When we’re downtown, you’ve got all these buildings and businesses and apartments,” Padgett said. “I think people really like having it on the Eastside for the open space of the airport.”
The variety of vantage points in and around the airport give spectators options to stay in their comfort zone with regards to COVID-19. “We are technically still in a pandemic,” head planner and Development and Outreach Coordinator of Leisure Services Melanie McElroy said. “So having that wide open space opportunity is putting it into the hands of folks to say, ‘Oh, I want to go to Satterfield Park and watch the fireworks with all these folks,’ or ‘Oh, I want to find a hill up on a neighborhood where I’m the only one there, because I don’t want to be around people.’”
The airport has made logistics easier for those planning, and watching more accessible for those attending. According to McElroy, the added area has allowed the county to use bigger fireworks for a more impressive show. Leisure Services has no current plans of moving back to downtown or a different location for future displays, Padgett and McElroy said.
All additional attractions, including food trucks and live music, have been cut from this year’s program to reduce risk of COVID-19 transmission. Padgett said feedback from spectators has remained very positive despite these modifications. “Right now, it seems the public is happy with this setup: just the opportunity to go see fireworks,” she said.
Attending the Star Spangled Classic is a perennial Independence Day tradition for many Athenians, and this sentimental value is significant in the execution of the event. “It’s been around for decades. I remember going as a child,” Padgett said. “People just love it, and it’s a great opportunity to get out with your family and have that tradition.”
Limited parking will be available beginning at 7 p.m. near the airport and at neighboring Satterfield Park. The show is expected to be visible from Lexington Road, Cherokee Road and Gaines School Road, though drivers should be conscious of private property when parking. Spectators are encouraged to remain near their cars and practice social distancing. The Athens-Clarke County Police Department will have officers present for security.
Per usual, pets should be left at home. The loud noises and odors of fireworks may alarm an animal because of their acute senses of hearing and smell. Viewers need not worry about disturbing the residents of the Animal Services shelter on Buddy Christian Way, as staff has accounted for their safety.
Bulldog 93.3, a sponsor of the event, will be providing traffic updates throughout the evening. Other local options for celebrating Independence Day include a concert by Athens’ Classic City Band at the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center on July 3 from 7-9 p.m. For more information, visit mmcc-arts.org/event-list/independence-day-concert-picnic.
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