Event organizers encourage Georgetown residents to plan ahead for limited parking at the Sertoma Club's 30th annual July Fourth Celebration at San Gabriel Park, 445 E. Morrow St., this year.
The Georgetown Sertoma Club's primary service is to assist Williamson County residents with speech, hearing and language disorders, according to their website, www.georgetownsertoma.org. Promoting national heritage is also a large part of their mission, and the annual Celebration is Sertoma's biggest display.
The Hometown Parade in the Park, sponsored by Leadership Georgetown Alumni, will begin at 11 a.m. at the low water crossing near College Street bridge and will end at the gazebo, according to a June 27 news release from the city of Georgetown.
Festivities also begin at 11 a.m. at the park, the release said. Food and arts and crafts vendors, as well as rock-climbing walls, a petting zoo, children's rides and face painting will be available. Beginning after the parade around noon and running until fireworks begin, entertainers including a variety of musicians will perform at the park, former Sertoma Club President Paul Hooper said.
"We've got the Georgetown Fire Department Pipes and Drums doing Scottish music [too]," Hooper said. "Food vendors are [told] if people show up at 9:30 [a.m.] and want to buy something, as long as [vendors are] ready to go, they can sell."
Parking
San Gabriel Park's main entrance is through Stadium Drive from North Austin Avenue, but parking at the park, which includes lots at the Show Barn and Rodeo Arena, is limited, so residents are encouraged to park at the empty Albertsons lot or at Georgetown High School and carpool to the park, the release read. Limited handicapped-accessible parking is available in designated areas of the park.
"Parking gets real tough at 4 in the afternoon," Hooper said. "That's when people start pouring in."
Parking lots at McMaster Athletic Complex and the parks and recreation administration building on North College Street will be closed because of their proximity to the fireworks fall zone, the release stated. North College Street will be closed from 9–11 p.m. between the traffic circle and Holly Street because of the possibility of falling fireworks, so parking, standing or sitting along the segment of the closed street will not be permitted during that time.
Fireworks
The fireworks display will be launched from the McMaster fields on North College street beginning at approximately 9:30 p.m., the release stated. The fireowrks may be viewed from the park, the VFW Park at 101 N. College St. and other locations in Georgetown, according to the release.
"We're known for a good fireworks show," Hooper said. "We have around 50,000 people watch our fireworks."
City of Georgetown ordinances forbid possession or discharge of fireworks of any kind within city limits or within 5,000 feet of city limits unless used in a permitted display authorized by the Georgetown Fire Department. This area includes, but is not limited to, the neighborhoods of: Cedar Hollow, Crystal Knoll, Escalera, Fountainwood, Indian Creek, Logan Ranch Road, Lost Rivers, Oak Crest, Olde Oak Estates, Serenada, Shady Oaks, Turtle Bend, Woodland Park and areas along D.B. Wood Road.
Violators of the ordinance may face fines of up to $2,000 per firework, the release stated. A map of the no-fireworks boundary may be viewed at https://files.georgetown.org/fireworks-ban-map.
