Neighboring Suwanee is celebrating the grand opening of its Town Center Park interactive fountain grand opening with a special benefit and a day of summertime festivities, including a free concert by Jimmy Buffet-inspired Rhythm & Rain...
Suwanee plans to make a splash—and a difference—at its June 17 Town Center Park interactive fountain grand opening. Suwanee’s Big Splash, the celebration of the fountain’s long-anticipated opening, is doubling as a benefit for Suwanee’s adopted sister-city, Long Beach, Mississippi, which continues to recover from Hurricane Katrina.
Festivities will begin at 1 p.m. with the dedication of the fountain. At 150 x 100 feet, Suwanee’s elliptical-shaped fountain with its 43 jets is the largest interactive fountain in Gwinnett County.
“The opening of this fountain is the icing on the cake for Town Center Park,” says Mayor Nick Masino. “The park has quickly become our community’s gathering place for awesome events. We anticipate that the fountain will only enhance people’s use and enjoyment of the park.”
Games, inflatable rides, a cow-munity art opportunity, silent auction, and food vendors will be available throughout the day. Evening entertainment will feature a free concert by Rhythm & Rain, the official band of the Towns Around Biloxi Parrothead Club. In addition to Jimmy Buffet standards, the band performs songs by James Taylor, Elton John, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Allman Brothers, and the Rolling Stones.
A live auction will begin around 8 p.m. Among the items to be auctioned are a Green Monster package with tickets to the September 5 Red Sox game in Boston, a week’s stay at a beachfront condominium, a Desperate Housewives package, a round-up of redneck desirables including a La-Z-Boy recliner and Jeff Foxworthy-autographed items. For a full list of auction items, visit www.suwanee.com. Cash, checks, and credit cards will be accepted.
The fountain dedication, water games, and concert are free and open to the public. However, because the event is a fund-raiser for Long Beach, a fee will be charged for the inflatable rides and cow-munity hand-painting opportunity. A single entry fee covers unlimited rides on six inflatables, open from 1 p.m.-dark; the charge is $10/child or a maximum of $25/family. Richport Properties is hosting the children’s area, generously underwriting the cost of renting the inflatable rides so that all money raised can go to Long Beach.
Participants can lend a hand—literally—in creating a piece of community art. The charge is $5 per person or a $20 maximum per family to put your handprint on a life-size plaster cow, similar to those used in CowParade Atlanta.
A coastal community of about 16,000 located 65 miles east of New Orleans, Long Beach lost everything, including many municipal facilities, within five blocks of the Gulf of Mexico. Among the municipal structures destroyed by Hurricane Katrina were city hall, the police department, recreation building, Little League fields, public works building, three parks, library, building permit office, water department, and water and sewer infrastructure. The City also lost at least 55 percent of its tax base.
“I was so impressed with your generosity and your deep concern for us,” said Pat Skellie, wife of Long Beach Mayor Billy Skellie after a March visit to Suwanee. “We are so thankful that you all chose us to adopt…. We are still very bruised and needy.”
Food vendors will be available throughout the day at Suwanee’s Big Splash or bring your own picnic. Food vendors, whose entry fee will be donated to Long Beach, include Dillard’s BBQ, Ippolito’s, Island Sorbet, and Sugar Shack. Beer, wine, and wine margaritas will be available beginning at 5:30 p.m. No alcohol may be brought into Town Center Park.
Off-site parking and a free shuttle service to Town Center Park will be available from 4-10:30 p.m. The off-site parking location is Shawnee North Business Center at 305 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road.