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In the face of declining revenues and the difficulty in raising sponsorship funds, Gwinnett County Government officials cancelled the annual Gwinnett Glows 4th of July celebration. Gwinnett Glows has been a fun community tradition for two decades, but the old adage “all good things must come to an end” is particularly apt in this case given the current state of the economy.

Even before the property tax protests that took place earlier this month, we knew we had to cut our expenses dramatically as new growth, development, and sales tax revenue declined during the recession. The same thing is happening to local governments across America. That’s why, prior to the adoption of the 2009 budget, commissioners and County staff launched an intensive study to find ways to cut the cost of County government by $40 million without eliminating vital services.

Cancelling Gwinnett Glows was one of the first cuts we made when the budget was approved last March. Despite the patriotic symbolism and long tradition, paying for fireworks and its associated costs on July 4 under the circumstances may not be viewed as prudent by many Gwinnett County residents. There have been - and will continue to be - more painful cuts as we struggle to balance the budget without eliminating vital services or raising property taxes.

The good news is that Gwinnett County residents still have a choice of other Independence Day celebrations taking place this year. Many of the events provide fun-filled festivities similar Gwinnett Glows, such as food, music, games, and, of course, fireworks.

Here are some places in Gwinnett County and around metro Atlanta where you and your loved ones can celebrate the independence of our great nation on July 4:
• Mall of Georgia
• Gwinnett Stadium (following Gwinnett Braves game)
• Stone Mountain Park
• Lenox Square
• Centennial Olympic Park
• Six Flags Over Georgia

A number of other events are held on July 3:
• Lawrenceville: Prelude to the Fourth in Lawrenceville
• Norcross: Pre-Independence Day Celebration
• Sugar Hill: Sparks in the Parks

The Gwinnett Convention and Visitors Bureau maintains a calendar of events. Visit the GCVB website to find these and other Independence Day celebrations taking place in Gwinnett County.