Pepsi-Cola of Johnson City and the City of Johnson City will sponsor the 26th Annual Independence Day Fireworks Celebration on the grounds of Freedom Hall Civic Center. This year's event will be held on Saturday, July 2, and everyone is invited to join in the festivities. There will not be a rain date for this event. The fireworks time could be delayed if there is inclement weather that evening. Visitors will be allowed to wait inside the Freedom Hall arena in the event of severe weather. Since several thousand attend the event each year, an early arrival is strongly encouraged.

The following tentative schedule* may be useful in planning your evening:

CHARCOAL GRILLS OR ANY OTHER INCENDIARY DEVICES ARE PROHIBITED

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ARE PROHIBITED

TRAFFIC ADVISORIES:

• No thru vehicle traffic will be allowed at the Science Hill Vocational School; pedestrian traffic will be allowed access from the Vocational School Parking Lot J to the entertainment areas
• Sections of Morningside Drive will be designated for JCT bus traffic only
• No thru traffic will be allowed on Guaranda Drive, Longview Drive, North Gilmer Park, Lacy Street, Sells Street, Mullins Street, Belmeade Drive, and Baron Drive. Only those showing drivers' licenses with home addresses will be allowed access.
• Residents of these streets inviting guests to fireworks parties should provide police officers blocking the roads with a copy of their invitation list - all others will not be allowed access
• Pedestrian traffic will be stopped on Guaranda Drive at 8:45 p.m. and resume at 10:45 p.m.
• Pedestrian and vehicular traffic will be stopped on Liberty Bell Boulevard at 8:45 p.m. and resume at 10:45 p.m.
• Following the fireworks, one-way traffic only will be allowed on Sundale Drive, Longview Drive and Guaranda Drive.
• Use the Knob Creek - State of Franklin connection to get between Bristol Highway, I-26 and Freedom Hall
• When leaving the fireworks, use I-26 (rather than Kingsport and Bristol Highways), State of Franklin Road and Highway 381.

MASS TRANSIT SERVICES

• Coolers and lawn chairs will be allowed on the FREE Johnson City Transit buses; charcoal grills or any other incendiary devices will not be allowed on the buses.
• Only "service" animals will be allowed on the buses - no household pets. Lift-equipped buses for the handicapped will be available both pick-up sites.

PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED PATRONS

• Lift-equipped buses will be available at ETSU and Winged Deer Park to bring physically challenged patrons to the event
• Handicapped parking passes and instructions may be obtained by calling Freedom Hall no later than June 28th at 461-4884 weekdays from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.
• Portable restroom facilities for the handicapped will be located on-site.

FREEDOM HALL POOL JULY 4th SCHEDULE

The Freedom Hall Pool will be closed all day Saturday, July 3rd. For more information, please call 423-461-4872.

EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES

• Ambulances will be located around the periphery of the Freedom Hall site.
• Emergency Medical Service (EMS) personnel will be posted at the command post location near the Freedom Hall pool.
• EMS personnel on bicycles and golf car mini-med will circulate throughout the crowd.
• Johnson City Fire Bureau personnel will be able to travel into the crowd via specially equipped golf cars to deliver emergency medical and fire suppression services.

PLEASE DO NOT BRING YOUR OWN FIREWORKS

The best fireworks show in town will begin at 9:55 p.m. Please do not endanger yourself or others in the crowd by bringing your own fireworks./

JOHNSON CITY CODE - Sec. 16-43 Fireworks:

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to sell or offer for sale, or keep in stock, or give away, within the city, or one (1) mile thereof, any firecracker, cannon cracker, torpedo, Roman candle, sky rocket, pin wheel or any fireworks of any nature whatsoever, or any toy pistol or cannon, discharged by percussion caps or by percussion caps and gunpowder or other means.

(b) No person shall sell, possess or use fireworks of any description within the city; provided, that this section shall not apply to wholesale dealers and jobbers who may possess fireworks for sale to merchants and dealers outside the city and sell same to such outside dealers and merchants; provided, further, that this section shall not apply to fairs, shows and exhibitors who desire to give fireworks displays for the amusement of the public; provided, that such displays shall be given under the joint supervision of the exhibitor and city police department so as to protect the health and welfare of the public, but no such fireworks display shall be given without a permit from the city recorder. (Code 1964, § 21-32)