ALABAMA
* Fort Payne: Gates to Wildcat Stadium at Fort Payne High School open at 5 p.m. CDT Tuesday. Residents can enjoy free hot dogs, drinks and entertainment before the fireworks at dark.
GEORGIA
* Blairsville: Vogel State Park celebrates Independence Day with a flag-raising ceremony, bicycle parade, pedal boat races, sandcastle building competition, watermelon eating, sack races, egg tosses and greased pole climbing. Activities start at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday. $5 parking. 706-745-2628
* Dalton: The Parks and Recreation Department is coordinating activities at Heritage Point Park starting at 3 p.m. Wednesday with registration for the Little Miss Rec contest, which begins at 5 p.m. A DJ will provide music for listening and dancing starting at 5 p.m., continuing with patriotic music during the fireworks. Food vendors will be on-site. Eating contests will start at 6 p.m. (Krystal hamburgers) and 6:30 p.m. (Little Debbie snack cakes). Professional wrestlers will entertain from 7 to 9 p.m. The evening concludes with fireworks at 9:30 p.m. Facilities and operations manager Mike Brown said the 1,300 rounds make it the largest fireworks show in North Georgia.