The Clinton County/Albany Chamber of Commerce will be hosting its annual 4th of July Fireworks show next week on Thursday, July 4, 2019.

“We spend a lot of time getting our sponsors,” Beard said and this year the sponsors are the Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Industrial Development Authority, the City of Albany, the Clinton County Fiscal Court, and the Clinton County Tourism Commission.

“It’s a collective effort from everybody and that’s what it takes,” Beard said. “We have the exact same show going on this year that we had last year. We are planning to start around dark, so I would figure around 8:30 or so.”

The event has been in the planning for several months and although there are no other events planned this year, Chamber President Lisa Beard hopes to change that for the future.

“Unfortunately there isn’t any events going on at the park this year, but we would love to see that happen next year,” Beard said. “We might try to have some softball tournaments. I know most of the people locally would love that.”

Beard is a huge fan of the 4th of July holiday and says it’s one of her favorite of the year.

“It’s a way for the Chamber to give back to the people in Albany and Clinton County,” Beard said. “It’s one of my favorite holidays. You get to fire up the grill and eat food you don’t normally eat all year long. It’s a backyard barbecue with your family and friends.”

Beard said she thinks the fireworks show is something the people of Clinton County are proud of.

“It’s a moral booster,” Beard said. “It’s a lot of fun for our community. It kind of completes the day. It’s good to see all the people out in the community watching the fireworks show.”

The fireworks show can be seen throughout various places in town, however, locations closest to the park and usually the best vantage point to watch the show.

Beard said the Chamber contracts with a professional pyrotechnichs company that supplies the fireworks and completes the set up and produces the show as well.

She also noted that Chamber board member Rick Mercader was in charge of working directly with the company and with securing the various sponsors.

“It’s something free we can give back to the community,” Beard said. “I’m happy that this is one of the yearly events we can say we do here in Clinton County and Albany.”

Clinton County has been putting on a fireworks show for some time now, however, there was a time when Clinton County didn’t sponsor such a show and people had to go out of town to view a major display of fireworks on the 4th of July.

“People can get together with their families and make memories and we get to do that in Albany and I think that’s a big plus for us,” Beard said. “I think it attracts more people into our downtown Albany area and its just a good way to bring more people into our community.”

With the 4th of July falling on a Thursday this year, Beard believes it will be the start of a wonderful holiday weekend.

“I think it will be the biggest week in Clinton County coming up,” Beard said.

Over the years, a lot of planning has gone into hosting the event including securing enough sponsorship to host the event.