Home Carrollton City of Carrollton Independence Day Festivities

City of Carrollton Independence Day Festivities

Photo by Patti Wells

The Carroll Symphony, The Carrollton Jazz Orchestra, and the Carrollton Wind Ensemble will be filling the air with American music for three days, starting Friday July 1, continuing on Saturday July 2, and capping off on July 4th. .

Admission to each of these family-friendly events is free.

The Carrollton Jazz Orchestra kicks off the celebratory weekend on Friday (July 1) as it takes the stage at the AMP at 7:00 p.m. for their “American Jazz” concert.

The Carrollton Wind Ensemble performs “Strike Up the Band” at the AMP at 7:00 p. m. on Saturday (July 2).

The Carroll Symphony caps off Fourth of July celebrations with friends and families on the grounds of the Carrollton City Schools.

The 2022 “Sounds of Liberty” concert begins at 8:30 p.m. on Monday, July 4, and builds to a fireworks display, accompanied by the sounds of everyone’s favorite patriotic melodies.

Event planners invite attendees to gather on the lawn of Carrollton Elementary School, which offers ample room for safe distancing for all the lawn chairs and beach blankets of those who gather at the free event. Long-time attendees advise that the grounds right in front of the stage offer the very best view of the fireworks as well as the thrill of experiencing the music “up close.”

As evening approaches, spotlights switch on, the professional musicians mount the stage, Conductor Terry Lowry takes the podium, local radio stations go live, the “Call to the Colors” signals the American Legion Honor Guard to raise the colors, and “The Star Spangled Banner” sounds across the crowd.

Audience members will enjoy an “All-American program,” so named because all the evening’s works were written by American composers, including John Williams’ “Hymn to the Fallen” from “Saving Private Ryan,” Aaron Copeland’s “An Outdoor Overture,” Katahj Copley’s “Equinox,” Terry Lowry’s “Fanfare for Someday,” and John Philip Sousa’s marches.

Well-known soloist Larry Frazier’s performance of “Salute to the Patriots” will set the theme for the crowd to recognize both wartime and peacetime veterans of each of our country’s military branches as they take the stage.

The symphony’s performance of John Williams’ ”Hymn to the Fallen” will pay tribute to men and women from Carroll County’s who have given their lives in service to our country.

The Carroll Symphony will premiere an exciting American work by one of the three winners of their statewide Young Composers Competition, Dylan Lester. A rising junior in high school, Dylan resides in Rome, Georgia, and is a multi-year winner of the CSO’s YCC.  In addition to composing he enjoys performing in the theatre and playing viola, piano, and guitar.

Everyone’s favorite patriotic melodies, including “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” and “The Stars and Stripes Forever, ” are guaranteed to entertain the audience as the evening culminates in a brilliant fireworks display.

Mayor Betty Cason welcomes everyone to the celebration:

“It is an honor to serve as the Mayor of the City of Carrollton and have the privilege to welcome you to a night of beautiful music and a firework extravaganza. We are privileged to live in a country where we can assemble together to celebrate our freedom. I want to thank our military men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice to give us this opportunity and freedom.

“We are so blessed in our community to have such wonderful, talented musicians as the Carrollton Symphony Orchestra. Their music fills the night as people gather with family and friends to celebrate this momentous occasion. I want to thank our sponsors for their contribution in making this Fourth of July Celebration possible for our community and wish each of you a happy and safe Independence Day.”

2022 will be the 19th year for the CSO to perform at The Sounds of Liberty. The Symphony’s very first Sounds of Liberty concert was also the first year that awards were presented for the winning floats in the People’s Parade, a project organized and managed by the Evening Sertoma Club. The tradition continues as this year’s Community Spirit Cup will be presented by Carrollton Evening Sertoman Rebecca L. Smith, coordinator of The People’s Parade.This year’s concert is presented by The Carroll Symphony Orchestra Guild, City of Carrollton, the Carrollton Center for the Arts, Carroll County, The Southern Company, Tanner Health System, Southwire, Bain Dental Group, Garrett Drug Company, Garrett & Robinson Investment, Advantage Office Solutions, SMI, Milestone Investment Management, Steve Adams & West Georgia Ambulance, Ridley-Teal Properties, Barry Oxford and Turbo Data Networks, Hughes Custom Homes, Gradick Communications, 3:16 Healthcare, Sheriff Terry Langley, Almon Funeral Home, Scott Evans Nissan, Scott Evans Dodge, Sync-Global Telecom, United Community Bank, Southern States Bank, Truist, Bank of America, Synovus Bank, The Warren and Ava Sewell Foundation, Threads Custom Tailoring, B92 Country, and KISS 102.7.

The launch site for the fireworks show, presented by the Carrollton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, is across Ben Scott Boulevard from the concert stage and will be located between the practice football field and the baseball field beside Carrollton Junior High.

Traffic exiting the evening’s event will flow steadily under the guidance of Carrollton Police officers who will be stationed at the intersection of Ben Scott

Boulevard and Highway 166 Bypass, as well as the intersection of Hays Mill Road and the 166 Bypass. Traffic exiting stadium parking will be able to go either Trojan Drive or Wedgewood Drive. 

For those who cannot attend the Sounds of Liberty concert in person, Gradick Communications’ radio stations Kiss 102.7 and B-92 Country will broadcast the concert live.