4th of July activities
4TH OF JULY PHOTO CONTEST:
EIL wants to see how YOU celebrate Independence Day. Send us your 4th of July photos! Take a picture of your house/yard/golf cart/backyard barbecue decorated for the holidays or your family (including its furry members) in their patriotic attire this holiday weekend. Email to kathionssi@gmail.com. Deadline for submission is Wednesday, July 8. We'll post everyone's 4th of July photos & our panel of judges will choose a winner to receive a $100 gift certificate toward mosquito control treatment from Mosquito Joe of Coastal Georgia.
SHOPPING/HOLIDAY SALES:
Butler's Stash - 20% off anything red, white or blue storewide - July 1-6. Store closed July 4.
The Classi Lady - Storewide sale through July 25. Come out and shop destination wedding and formal wear, as well as sportswear and casual attire.
Cloister Collection - Summer Sidewalk Sale including, but not limited to, Lily Pulitzer, Free People, BCBG Maxazria, Foley & Corinna, Dolce Vita, etc.
Evelyne Talman - huge tent sale with markdowns on everything from jewelry to handbags, shoes, day dresses and evening wear.
Indigo & Cotton - Sidewalk Sale Thursday July 2 through Saturday July 4
Lamp & Shade Collection - New markdowns! All lighting 20-50% off now through July 11. Closed July 4.
Love & Sweat - 25% off storewide Thursday and Friday, July 2-3.
Maggie's - Up to 60% off of selected Spring & Summer Merchandise. Krazy Larry pants and LBH tops not included. Plus size section 1X-3X. Sportswear 2-16, accessories, gifts & UGA merchandise.
Ronne's - Men's swimwear sale 25% off. Featuring new charm jewelry line, Wind and Fire, initial charm bracelets, birthstone, religious, family and saline charms. Eco-sustainable jewelry. New Soapsox line for kids, as featured on Sharktank: fun stuffed animal washcloths that lather up when you put soap inside.
Planters Exchange - 4th of July Holiday Sale - Up to 50% off selected items. Store will be closed on July 4.
Tarpon Bay Trading Company - Sizzlin' Summer Sales - Towels & Beach Bags 15% off; Select Color Change Shirts 50% off; All Hats 15% off.
Tibi - 20% off one item plus new arrivals and samples (Excludes Essentials). Sale Thursday, Friday, Sunday. Closed on July 4.
Two Friends - Independence Day Celebration 30% off select items. Closed July 4 & 5.
Wild & Personal - 30% off apparel & jewelry Thursday, July 2 through Sunday, July 5. Also special clearance racks 50% off and more.
HOLIDAY WEEKEND EVENTS
ST. SIMONS ISLAND
The annual St. Simons Island Sunshine Festival held in Pier Village has been an island tradition for more than 60 years. This year, the weekend celebration starts on Friday, July 3, and runs through Sunday, July 5. Festival hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The festival features a juried arts and crafts show in Postell Park highlighting some of the region’s best artists and crafters displaying and selling works that include painting, pottery, jewelry, photography, garden art, wood crafts, artisan products, and more.
On Saturday morning, make the Sunshine Festival 5K & 1 Mile Fun Run part of your family’s holiday tradition. More than 1200 runners participate in this fun event. The 5K course is through a flat residential neighborhood decorated for Independence Day. The best decorated yard along the route will be given an award. There is no Walkers Division, but walkers are welcome. Electronic Chip Timing and USATF certified course. Prizes awarded. The 1-mile fun run begins at 7:30 a.m., and the 5K race follows at 8:00 a.m. Start, finish and registration for both races will be at Mallery Park. Register online before July 2 at http://SunshineFestivalofRaces5K1mile.itsyourrace.com. Proceeds from the race go to Golden Isles Track Club’s designated charities, St. Simons Island Land Trust for walking, jogging, biking, and running trails, and Glynn County Public Schools cross country and/or track teams scholarship grant and purchase of shoes, uniforms, etc.
The Annual Golf Cart Parade from Mallery Park through Pier Village on St. Simons Island, will take place around 2:00 p.m. Line up starts at 1:00 p.m. Decorate your cart and join the fun! For more info, call St. Simons Bait & Tackle at 634.1888. From 3-5pm, join MAGIC 105.9 for fun and games at the Party in the Park at Neptune Park. St. Simons Island songbird Kellie Parr will perform on the Neptune Park Bandstand from 5-7pm. At 7:15pm, members of the band Flood reunite on the Bandstand for a rockin' good time and will be joined by Crickett Allen & Ren Halverson. The annual 4th of July fireworks display takes place off the Pier around 9:00 p.m. You'll want to make sure you bring your blankets and chairs to Neptune Park early to pick out your oceanside seat and find your friends, because the park fills up quickly. Flood with Crickett & Ren will play again after the fireworks, so you don't have to run off and fight the traffic. Stick around and enjoy the show.
The fun doesn’t end on the 4th though! Sunday, July 5, bring your lawn chairs, favorite beverages and a picnic supper to the lighthouse lawn to wind down the holiday weekend with family and friends and some fantastic music by Mason Waters & the Groove Allstars. This A Little Light Music Concert is presented by the Coastal Georgia Historical Society and will take place from 7-9:00 p.m. $12 adult admission payable at the gate. Be sure to get there early to grab a good seat. This show is always packed!
SEA ISLAND:
Residents and guests of Sea Island can enjoy activities scheduled at The Cloister and Beach Club during the 4th of July weekend. Independence Day begins with a flag raising ceremony and a Fireworks Spectacular at the Beach Club takes place that night around 9pm.
BRUNSWICK:
The City of Brunswick, Golden Isles Arts & Humanities Association, and the Downtown Development Association host a free and family-fun filled evening of games, watermelon, and fireworks at Mary Ross Waterfront Park in Historic Downtown Brunswick. The fun begins at 7:00 p.m. and will kick off with The Coastal Brass Choir playing patriotic music followed by fun games for all ages, like sack races, ball games, horseshoes, tug-of-war, and hula-hoop contests, with watermelons awarded to winners. First Baptist Church of Brunswick and The Chapel will be lending a hand with additional activities and food will be available for purchase from Heather House and The City of Brunswick C.O.P. Program. P. O. Sound & Lighting Rentals will keep the music playing and Carla Penney, Georgia's Watermelon Queen will be on hand to help give out free slices of watermelon to all attendees! The evening concludes with a 30-minute fireworks show that takes place over the waters of the East River and Oglethorpe Bay, beginning about 9:00 p.m.
On Sunday, July 5, Traveling Riverside Band will bring Southern rock at its best to Mary Ross Waterfront Park for Rhythm on the River 6-8pm. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets and a picnic out to enjoy this FREE community event.
JEKYLL ISLAND
Last year, Coastal Living named Jekyll Island one of the “Top Spots to Celebrate the Fourth.” Whether you choose to spend the day with your family on the beaches or on the slides at Summer Waves, or joining the holiday cookout as a guest of the Jekyll Island Club, it’s a fun day to spend on Jekyll Island. If you’re lucky, there may even be a sea turtle release!
This year, Jekyll Island invites local residents and guests to participate in its inaugural July Fourth Parade by decorating their bikes, golf carts, strollers, and pets with red, white, and blue. The parade will begin at the Jekyll Island Museum parking lot, and will march through the historic district, down Pier Road, and around the Morgan Center. Scute, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center mascot will lead the parade. Prizes will be awarded at the conclusion of the parade for: best golf cart decoration, best bike decoration, best walker/dog/stroller decoration, and best overall decorations. Family-friendly activities will follow the parade. Participation in the parade is free and everyone is welcome to join in or come watch the fun.
Jekyll’s fireworks display is spectacular and launches around 9:00 p.m. from Great Dunes Park.
