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Non-profits to benefit from First City Taste
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Staff Report
Updated: Sep 15, 2008, 9:00 AM
Published: Sep 4, 2008, 5:40 PM

SAVANNAH — The First City Classic is launching a citywide fundraiser benefiting a variety of local non-profit organizations as part of the First City Taste, a gathering of dozens of local restaurants offering a wide selection of local cuisine.

Visitors to the FCT will be able to sample items from different local restaurants by purchasing tickets that will be redeemable at the festival. A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales are to be donated directly to each organization, allowing visitors to the Classic an opportunity to try great food while supporting a local cause they believe in.

Tickets will be for sale prior to the event through a variety of local non-profit organizations, including: CASA Savannah, the May Street YMCA, the Savannah Association for the Blind, Habitat for Humanity, Wesley Community Centers of Savannah, All Walks of Life (AWOL), the eWomen Network, the Savannah Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Greenbriar Children’s Center, A Working Woman in Need (AWWIN), the Boy Scouts of America, Hope House, Army Community Services at Fort Stewart, Coastal Empire Polio Survivor’s Association, the Sigma Beta Club, and the DECA program at Johnson High School.

With the combination of great food and a lot of great causes, the First City Taste is a great opportunity for friends, co-workers and other groups to enjoy lunch outside while helping raise funds for deserving local organizations.

Visitors to the Classic will also enjoy live music and a theatrical production presented by the Savannah Theater Company. The event is free and open to the public. The First City Taste will be the opening event of the First City Classic, which will kick off Sept. 12 at 11 a.m. at Forsyth Park and run until about 9 p.m. The Classic will continue Saturday morning with a series of family fun events including cartoons and other entertainment.

The First City Classic is a two-day cultural festival where musicians, restaurants, government offices, corporations, health care professionals, entrepreneurs and educators will come together to showcase the best of what Savannah has to offer.

The event is dedicated to presenting the tools for building strong communities and will bring together communities throughout the Coastal Empire for a variety of engaging educational opportunities and entertainment.
Savannah, Richmond Hill, Tybee ready for July 4 celebrations
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Staff Report
Updated: Jul 1, 2016, 8:36 PM
Published: Jun 29, 2016, 7:10 PM

The Savannah Waterfront Association will hold its annual 4th of July celebration, including fireworks, Monday on River Street from 4-10 p.m.

VIP seating for viewing fireworks will be available for active and retired military and will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Hypnotics will perform from 8-10 p.m., including a patriotic set during the fireworks to complement the show.

The fireworks sponsored at 9:30 p.m. Guests are encouraged to park off of River Street since the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department will close the street from 6 p.m.-3 a.m.

Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police are gearing up for this weekend’s July 4th and First Friday festivities; and ask the public to be mindful of traffic conditions in the Downtown area.

In anticipation of potential road delays, Metro will increase traffic and foot patrols in the Downtown festival area, starting Friday afternoon. Officers also will patrol Hutchinson Island in greater force to assist with traffic flow, prevent bottle-necking and help move motorists safely. To ensure safety and help minimize delays, motorists are asked to be vigilant, patient and co-operative.

Public parking lots on River Street will close on Monday at about 3 a.m. until early Tuesday afternoon. River Street will close to vehicular traffic Monday at 3 p.m. and will reopen early Tuesday morning.

All traffic and parking laws will be enforced on in Downtown Savannah and Hutchinson Island. Vehicles parked in the roadway, or in a manner that obstructs traffic will be towed at the owner’s expense. Please note that parking vehicles on the Truman Parkway and Talmadge Bridge also is dangerous and illegal.

Interstate 16 will be available to drivers leaving the firework show. To leave Downtown, traffic originating from points beyond Bay Street will be directed away from Martin Luther King Boulevard to other routes, such as Whitaker and West Bay streets. Westbound traffic on Bay Street will be directed to East Lathrop Avenue to access I-16 via Louisville Road.

Police recommend use of city parking garages, where drivers will be given maps for the easiest Downtown exit routes following the firework display. Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead, expect delays and heed posted signage. The key components of the traffic plan include:

Prohibiting traffic from turning southbound onto Whitaker from Bay. Westbound traffic on Bay Street will be directed to alternate routes to I-16 through East Lathrop and Louisville Road, or through Garden City.

Parking garage traffic will be routed southbound on MLK, Whitaker and Price streets.

Alternate routes to I-16 are West Gwinnett and 37th streets. Price Street also can be used to get to 37th Street, which will take traffic to westbound I-16.

Additional signage will be deployed to assist drivers in locating the alternative routes to I-16.

Traffic may be heavy along Highway 80 for those leaving Tybee Island’s fireworks display. There is a slight potential for shallow coastal flooding due to King Tides July 4.  At this time, this flooding is not expected to close Highway 80. Remember if there is shallow coastal flooding:

Traffic headed toward Wilmington Island via President Street should flow as usual.

Also please remember that the city curfew law remains in effect for this event.  All persons 16 years of age and under must be off the streets at 11 p.m. unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Officers will be enforcing this ordinance.

As always you can stay up to date with the latest on the Festival, road closures and other related updates by following the Twitter feed @SCMPD, Facebook or www.scmpd.org.

Richmond Hill will host 4th of July events Saturday, starting with Star Spangled Cars and Coffee from 9-11 a.m. Car owners can bring in a car and interact with other automobile enthusiasts. Visitors can bring the family to view the cars and tour the Richmond Hill History Museum, formerly the Henry Ford Kindergarten. Admission to the event is free and coffee can be purchased for 25 cents with a $1 donation to the museum. This event will take place at the Richmond Hill History Museum located at 11460 Ford Ave. 

Fort McAllister will hold its 4th of July celebration Saturday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. with living history programs including demonstrations of Civil War drills and rifle and cannon firings. Visitors can participate in old fashioned games including sack races, an egg toss, wheel barrow races and a Civil War-era baseball game. Fresh watermelon will be available.  Admission for this event is $8 per adult (18+), $5 per Youth (6-17), under 6 are free. For more information, call (912) 727-2339.

Richmond Hill will kick off its annual Red, White, and Blue Independence Day Celebration at J. F. Gregory Park located at 521 Cedar St. For more information, visit www.richmondhill-ga.gov or call (912) 756-3345.

Tybee Island changed the date of their annual  fireworks from Sunday, July 3 to Monday, July 4. The Independence Day celebration will held be at the Tybee Island Pier and Pavilion with a fireworks extravaganza. It will be held from 9:30-10 p.m.