UNDATED - Independence Day may be weeks away, but leaders of area cities are planning for their events.
In Demorest, city leaders have inked a deal with a well-known band with local roots.
"The John King Band has graciously agreed to headline the Fourth of July evening concert for us," said Demorest Mayor Rick Austin. "We're excited about that. John's band has taken off. He's already had a Top 40 hit."
King is a Habersham County native and has done considerable touring in the past couple of years. This will be the band's second year of involvement with Independence Day festivities in Demorest.
"He did a really good job for us during the middle of the afternoon last year," Austin said. "His band played at Piedmont [College] back in the late fall. His band does a great job - they have a lot of energy, and I think it's going to draw an awful lot of folks to the downtown area."
This year, the Demorest Downtown Development Authority has committed to help with organizing the city's Glorious Fourth of July Celebration.
"With the formation of a Glorious Fourth Committee, we've got a lot more people working on that particular celebration," Austin said. "I think a lot of people are going to see a lot of things different this year, and we're looking forward to how it materializes."
The Demorest Glorious Fourth of July includes an opening ceremony, parade, vendors, entertainment and a fireworks exhibition.
Twenty miles away in Helen, leaders of Georgia's Alpine Village also are making preparations for their Independence Day observance.
Each year, the city hosts a fireworks display for those who come to the city for tubing on the Chattahoochee River, miniature golf, shopping and other activities.
Helen City Manager Jerry Elkins said the city spent $6,000 on its fireworks display in 2014.
Mayor Dona K. Burke told city commissioners she thought the city should look at doubling the money put into the city-sponsored fireworks, giving people more entertainment for their trip to Helen.
Instead, commissioners voted to spend $10,000 on fireworks to give people more "bang for the buck".
