- The 4th of July fireworks brought thousands to Thomasville.
- Fallin's Barbecue and others saw increased sales from the festivities.
- Watch the video to see how events like this strengthen our local economy.
BROADCAST SCRIPT
Hundreds of thousands of people visit the Rose City annually. 4th of July celebrations like what's happening behind me will bring just as many people.
I'm taking a closer look at how big events like this spell big dollars for businesses and for the city.
The 4th of July is often associated with fireworks and time with friends and family, but for some, it means a boost in foot traffic for businesses.
John Reddick is a cook at Fallin's Barbecue, a home-style BBQ restaurant that's been in Thomasville for over 30 years.
While many businesses in downtown Thomasville will be closed in observance of the holiday, Reddick says he wanted to remain open.
"Especially with the fireworks being right across the street, they can see it from here so you can get something to eat and then watch the fireworks before it starts, so I mean it's good setting," said Reddick.
I followed him around as he got ready for the big crowd.
"I think the restaurant will get flooded, it's gonna be a good crowd," said Reddick.
The 4th of July celebrations throughout the city bring thousands of people, a large portion of that number are out-of-towners. That spells millions of dollars for the city's local economy.
In 2021, these events drove $76.8 million in visitor spending and supported 845 local jobs in Thomas County.
Brandy Avery, Main Street manager, tells me this fireworks show is set to draw visitors from all around.
"We have one of the largest fireworks in the surrounding area so we have several people from other communities that come and enjoy," said Avery.
That's something Fallin's BBQ and other businesses hope to cash in on.
"It is a big holiday, it's like the American birthday so I mean it's gonna be probably 50% increase in revenue for us," said Reddick.
Thomasville hosts a number of events—from the Rose Festival to First Friday Sip and Shop and Victorian Christmas—they bring in more than 166,000 people to the Rose City.
Brandy Avery with Main Street says more big events are in store.
"We have our Autumn artisan market coming up, of course, we do our First Friday concerts, so those kick back off in August," said Avery
Thomasville's Downtown Development Program, fueled by events like the fireworks show, has created 328 new jobs and attracted $62.9 million in investments over five years.
