Celebrate Independence with Us: All-Day July 4th Fun in the City
Fireworks burst over the Fairgrounds' Covered Arena during a previous display. (Photo courtesy Forsyth County News)
The City of Cumming has a whole day of patriotic, family fun planned for July 4th! 

The festivities kick off with the annual Steam Engine Parade through downtown, beginning at 10 a.m. Featuring the country's largest gathering of antique steam engines, as well as classic cars, floats and walkers from various community groups, the parade is a unique experience to behold. Be sure to bring water, sunscreen and earplugs, and come early to stake out your spot on the route, down Tribble Gap/Castleberry Road to the Fairgrounds. 
A steam engine makes its way downtown during last year's parade.

After the parade, head to the Cumming Fairgrounds for the City's first all-day July 4th Festival! Featuring tons of old-time family fun such as hot dog, pizza, and pie eating contests, this event is sure to become a community tradition. Among the fun will be inflatables and games for kids, music, vendors, and even a dunking booth featuring plenty of local and state elected officials. All proceeds raised through the dunk tank will go to Creative Enterprises Forsyth, an adult disability center in Cumming, which provides social and work opportunities for adults with disabilities throughout Forsyth County. 
Crowds cheer for contestants during a previous dance contest.

The annual July 4th Dance Contest at the Fairgrounds kicks off at 8:30 p.m., followed by the grand finale fireworks display at 9:30 p.m. 

Admittance into the Fairgrounds for the festival is $5 for ages 13 and up, and free for kids 12 and under (fireworks can be viewed from many spots all around town). Fairgrounds parking is also free for this event.


Did you know?  We need more people to sign up for our hog dog, pizza, and pie eating contests on July 4th! Deadline to enter is 5 p.m. on Monday, July 2, so register now! 

Summer Camps Abound in the City of Cumming
Students splash into Junior Lifeguard Camp earlier this summer at the Aquatic Center.
Kids starting to get bored at home? The Cumming Recreation and Parks Department and the Cumming Aquatic Center still have plenty of day camp opportunities remaining for the rest of summer! 

Among the opportunities still open to kids at the Recreation Department are art, princess, cheer, musical theater and gymnastics camps and clinics. Click here to see which camps still have openings and to register. 

The Aquatic Center has two weeks of its Junior Lifeguard Camp, July 9-13 and July 23-27, open for students ages 11 to 14. Junior Lifeguard Camp provides the foundation for life guarding, such as prevention of aquatic accidents, fitness and swimming skills, response in an emergency, leadership skills and professionalism. To register for July 9-13, click here, and for July 23-27, click here.

Sawnee Association of the Arts Creates Downtown Art Center in City's Brannon-Heard House

This summer, members of the Sawnee Association of the Arts (SAA) have been moving into their new home, the City's Brannon-Heard House (111 Pilgrim Mill Road). City Council voted in April to lease the house exclusively to the arts organization for the creation of a downtown Art Center.
An SAA member gives painting demonstrations inside the Brannon-Heard House during a recent Food Truck Friday event.

SAA members will hold a soft opening of the Art Center on July 12, with a grand opening event slated for Aug. 3. Beginning July 12, SAA will offer an art gallery and gift shop inside the Brannon-Heard House, in addition to art classes, which have already been going on for several months at the house. 

The Art Center will be open on Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., on Fridays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. beginning July 12.

For more information about the soft and grand opening of the Art Center and a schedule of art classes offered there, click here! 

City Employees Honored in Weight Loss Challenge
Mayor and Council recognize employees Donna Cruse and Tom Bryson as the top male and female weight loss challenge participants.
Mayor and City Council honored two City employees for their weight loss efforts during the regular June meeting. 

Donna Cruse, Events Coordinator at the Cumming Fairgrounds, and Tom Bryson, Water Production Superintendent, were the top female and top male weight loss participants during a recent voluntary employee weight loss challenge. 

About 35 employees took part in the challenge, which was held between February 1 and June 1. Cruse lost more than 13% of her starting body weight, and Bryson lost more than 7% of his starting body weight. 


Among other business during the June meeting and work session, City Council: 
   
  • Approved a lease agreement with Kelly Tam, co-owner of Tam's Back Stage Restaurant, which will allow her to lease the Cumming Playhouse beginning in January of 2019. The move will save the City some $150,000 per year in operations and maintenance costs, while still allowing various community groups to present high-quality plays, musicals and concerts at the Playhouse throughout the year for the community's enjoyment. 
  • Approved an amendment to the City's Vape Shop Ordinance, which was approved in May. The amendment closes some loopholes in the original ordinance. 
  • Approved a request from the I.T. Director to advertise for bids for hardware, software and services needed to "virtualize" six City servers. Virtualization of servers will better protect the City from hardware crashes.        
  • Approved advertising for bids to secure new asphalt prices for various resurfacing projects. 
  • Approved a list of 14 people who will serve as the new Fair Advisory Board. Council also named Michelle Daniels, Tourism Director at the Cumming-Forsyth Chamber of Commerce, to serve as president of the board, and Mary Helen McGruder to serve as secretary. 
  • Voted to re-bid road resurfacing projects in the Hickory Ridge subdivision. 
  • Heard a brief presentation from the City's contracted City Planner, which proposed adding a Planned United Development Zoning District (PUD) to the city's zoning categories. Council will review the proposal and further discuss this item at the July 3 work session. 
  • Approved the low bids for purchase and installation of new mounted ceiling fans over the spectator seating area, and for backup motors for the competition pool filter and chemical feed system at the Aquatic Center. 
  • Approved the low bid for printing of 30,000 copies of the Recreation Department's fall brochure.  
  • Voted to eliminate all application fees relating to annexation of property and rezoning of annexed property into the City of Cumming. 
  • Approved the following purchases for the Utilities Department: A tractor and bush hog with front loader; a mulching head; and an emergency gravity sewer line at Sawmill Branch. 
  • Approved a request from the Utilities Department to increase water connection fees based on an analysis of fees paid by customers of surrounding government utility companies. Click here to view the new connection fees. 

Click here for meeting videos.  
"Camelot" Takes Center Stage
Knights and ladies of old will fill the Cumming Playhouse beginning July 12 as Broadway's "Camelot" gallops onto the stage. 

The classic tale of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table runs July 12 to Aug. 5, with performances at 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and at 3 p.m. Sundays. 

Based on T.H. White's well-known novel, "The Once and Future King," "Camelot" sets to music the magical tale of King Arthur, Queen Guenevere, Sir Lancelot and the other Knights of the Round Table, Merlin, and the evil Modred. 

With a cast of 30 gifted actors and singers, this beloved story of heroism, chivalry, heartbreak and hope is sure to be a summer hit! Click here to order tickets or for more information. 

Food Truck Fridays Event Returns July 6
It's back! After being rained out in June, the City's Food Truck Fridays return July 6 on School Street. The event - featuring food trucks, a DJ, vendors, art displays at the Brannon-Heard House, character golf cart rides for kids, and more - will be held from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Road closures of School Street from Mason Street to Pilgrim Mill, and Pilgrim Mill from Pirkle Ferry/Hwy. 9 to School Street will be in effect from approximately 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Ingram Avenue will remain open as a detour. Parking is available in the Mason Street Parking Deck (access via Mason Street), Cumming City Hall parking lot, Cumming Recreation Center on Pilgrim Mill Road, and Creative Enterprises on Pilgrim Mill Road. Come join the fun on July 6!  
37 Main Music Fest Rocks the Fairgrounds on July 21
37 Main presents the City of Cumming Music Fest from 11:30 a.m. (gates open at 11 a.m.) to 10 p.m. on July 21 at the Cumming Fairgrounds. Featuring tribute performances to the Eagles, Van Halen, Styz, Foreigner and others, this event is sure to rock! Besides the awesome music, there will also be food trucks, vendors, inflatables for kids, games for everyone, karaoke, and more! 

A coach instructs swimmers during the 2017 State Meet. 
Aquatic Center to Host Statewide Meet 
The Cumming Aquatic Center has again been tapped to host the Georgia Recreation and Park Association (GRPA) State Swim Meet on July 20 and 21. The Aquatic Center was also chosen to host the event in 2014, 2015 and 2017. Last year, the event drew nearly 1,300 swimmers, ages 7 to 18, from all over the state - as well as their approximately 4,000 supporters - to the Cumming area, making the event a great economic boon for local hotels, restaurants, stores and gas stations. Aquatic Center staff are again looking forward to hosting the event. 
Coming Soon
 
To the Cumming Playhouse

To the Cumming Fairgrounds
  • July 4 Festivities: Steam Engine Parade (through downtown, ending at Fairgrounds) at 10 a.m.; Fairgrounds Festival after the parade until 10 p.m.; Dance Contest at 8:30 p.m.; Fireworks at 9:30 p.m.  
  • Fridays at the Fairgrounds - July 20, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. 
  • 37 Main Music Fest - July 21, 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. 
  • Cumming Farmers' Market - Saturdays and Wednesdays, 6:30 a.m. until vendors sell out 

To the Cumming Aquatic Center 
Meetings
  • City Council Work Session - July 3 at 6 p.m. (Location: Gallery B, City Hall Second Floor) 
  • Planning & Zoning Board - July 17 at 5 p.m.  
  • City Council - July 17 at 6 p.m. 

All meetings are open to the public and held in the third-floor Council Chambers at City Hall, 100 Main Street, unless otherwise noted. For all meetings after 5 p.m., please enter through the rear parking lot entrance. Click here for previous meeting videos. 

 

Celebrate America's independence with us on July 4th! So much family fun all day long - hope to see you there! 

 

Sincerely,   
City of Cumming
Division of Public Information
  

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