By GABE JORDAN

gabe.jordan@gaflnews.com

CORDELE — Cordele-Crisp County Chamber of Commerce officials are gearing up for one of the biggest Fourth of July weekends ever at Georgia Veterans Memorial State Park at Lake Blackshear.

Chamber President Monica Simmons said she expects at least 20,000 visitors to the park for the “Fireworks on the Flint” celebration tonight and the many activities scheduled throughout the day Saturday.

“We’re anticipating a bigger turnout than usual this holiday weekend and we’re excited about what that will mean for our businesses in Crisp County,” Simmons said.

Simmons said visitors should be prepared to pay a $3 parking fee for each vehicle entering the park, but that additional donations at the gate will be greatly appreciated and used to offset the costs associated with the fireworks display.

“We have a lot of great sponsors who have provided so much throughout our ‘Watermelon Days’ festival and again for the ‘Fireworks of the Flint’, but with rising fuel prices and other costs, we have to rely on the kindness of our visitors to defray expenses,” Simmons said.

Simmons also said visitors are free to bring in their own picnic supplies, but there will be plenty of vendors near the beach area providing snow cones, cold drinks and other refreshments, not to mention the many amenities associated with the resort areas of the park.

Tonight’s fireworks display will begin at 9:30 and Saturday’s events schedule is as follows:

• 10 a.m. — Old fashioned games: sack race, three-legged race, spoon race, egg race, egg toss and tug-of-war.

• 11 a.m. — Watermelon cutting and seed spitting contest.

• 1 p.m. — Kentucky rifle exhibition: a live demonstration of the Kentucky rifle and the life of a Georgia militia soldier.

• 2 p.m. — Patriotic crafts: visitors can make patriotic items they can take home.

• 4 p.m. — Wagon ride: a truck-pulled wagon tour of the park.