What began decades ago as a humble local celebration has transformed into one of North Georgia’s most anticipated – and fastest-growing – Independence Day celebrations.
On Friday, July 4, the annual Valley Above the Clouds fireworks show returned to Woody Gap School, where an unconfirmed record-setting crowd gathered across the field, school grounds and surrounding areas to celebrate under skies that cleared up in time for the display.
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Presented by Station No. 5 of the Union County Fire Department, the event has steadily grown beyond the small mountain community of Suches, drawing hundreds of attendees from across the Southeast.
The tradition started when a small group of locals used their own money to launch bottle rockets at the Suches General Store.
As more spectators gathered each year, the celebration grew, eventually moving to Woody Gap School in the 1990s. Community support expanded as well, with residents donating money and selling food and drinks to help fund the fireworks.
“This started long ago with a few people at the store,” affirmed Fire Lt. Doug Pruitt of Station No. 5. “Eventually, we started collecting donations, and it continues to grow each year.
“We get a lot of compliments on the show, which we’re very proud of. It’s a great family-fun environment – just a great atmosphere – and everyone seems to have a good time.”
By sunset, every corner of the school property and surrounding lots was filled with families, folding chairs and picnic blankets. Many spectators arrived hours early to claim a spot, while others gathered across Georgia 60 at the Suches Community Center and Fire Station No. 5.
Children passed the time with sparklers, footballs and frisbees as the crowd continued to grow.
At 9:20 p.m., emcee Larry Wood took the stage to introduce his granddaughter, 19-year-old Nealy Webster, who performed the national anthem. A graduate of White County High School with deep family roots in Suches, Webster spoke about what the event means to her.
“I grew up on that stage, and I love coming back here,” she said. “I started doing this when I was 8 years old. It’s very nostalgic for me.
“All of my family grew up here, and it’s nice to have them all together. This place is like home. I sing the national anthem everywhere, but this is my favorite place to perform.”
By 9:40 p.m., darkness had settled over the valley, and the sky erupted in color. The fireworks show lasted more than 30 minutes, with booming echoes rolling throughout southern Union County.
The event is organized entirely by Station No. 5 and requires months of preparation – from securing permits and ordering fireworks to stocking concessions and estimating crowd sizes. On the day of the show, the department spends hours setting up and conducting safety briefings.
About 15 to 20 volunteers helped run the event and ensure safety throughout the evening.
“This is strictly a fire department-sponsored event,” Pruitt said. “We have a lot of people who donate money and walk through the crowd with a boot to collect. We’d like to thank all of our individual and corporate sponsors – we couldn’t do this without them.”
