- From six to 10 pm Thursday families can enjoy live music and more.
- The fireworks are scheduled to happen around 9:50 Thursday night.
- Watch the video above to hear from those setting up the event and participating in it.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT
We're less than 24 hours away from Independence Day, and a Tallahassee tradition is beginning to take shape!
I'm Terry Gilliam in Northeast Tallahassee.
If you plan on coming here to Tom Brown Park for Thursday's celebration, you need to plan ahead.
"I worked my first 4th of July at Tom Brown park in 1987… You create the art for the masses, so it's what we do; we enjoy it. If you didn't enjoy it, you couldn't do it."
Dennis Cooper is General Manager of Vivid Sky Productions. He knows all about the city of Tallahassee's tradition, and the effort it takes to making sure everything goes as planned.
"The stage gets set then everything kind of sets up around it and it's just a matter of doing it."
It may look empty now but soon this spacious area will be packed and filled with neighbors this 4th of July.
Crews spent all Wednesday morning setting up the stage and other technology to ensure the venue is ready to go for the City of Tallahassee's Celebrate America Event.
From six to 10 pm Thursday families can enjoy live music, fireworks, and more.
One act includes Members of the Cast of the Music Man Summer Musical from the Leon High School Choral Department.
"I direct and there's a choreographer, a music director; it's a whole team of 50 students on stage."
Musical Director, Robert Stuart plays a big role in the act that's performing at the event. He tells me what he expects to see when it's showtime.
"It's just people coming out to celebrate our country!"
People coming means big crowds, and with limited parking, StarMetro will provide free shuttle service for the event. Buses start running at 6pm.
I asked Stuart what else he thinks is new for the 4th of July event.
"The fireworks. There are always bigger and better fireworks; since there's a fireworks scene in our show this is just perfect for it."
The fireworks are scheduled to happen around 9:50 Thursday night.
It's a venue that creators like Stuart and Cooper say is worth the time.
"People here start in the afternoon doing all kinds of events. They'll bring out their blankets; their families will be here. It will be wall to wall people."
"It feels good to come out here and set it up!"
The city is encouraging attendees to use the shuttle service to ensure safety for all pedestrian traffic during the event. At Tom Brown, I'm Terry Gilliam.
