Today is the day.
    The Statesboro-Bulloch County Parks and Recreation Department and Sea Island Bank present the 2012 Firecracker Fest at Mill Creek Regional Park from 4-11 p.m.
    The free event will include games, music and community exhibitions, as well as the traditional Frog Jumping Contest at 5:30 p.m., a Baseball/Softball Skills Contest at 6:30, and the Subway Sub Eating Contest at 7.
    If you plan to participate in the Frog Jumping Contest, you are asked to bring your own frog to Field 2.
    For the finale, Briggs and Stratton sponsors the fireworks show, which will take place at 9 and is set to music.
    From 4-8 p.m. the crowds will be entertained by a deejay. At 6, the Wally Brown Band will perform on Field 1. The Mighty Kicks, which specializes in party music, will take the stage at 7:30.
    Also from 4-8 p.m., the American Red Cross will run a blood drive. The organization recently announced there is a severe blood shortage, and the severe storms that ripped through the Midwest and East Coast in the past few days were expected to make the need even greater.
    Traffic will exit from the park’s main entrance using both lanes. The right lane will be directed right and the left lane will be directed left onto Georgia Highway 24. Traffic exiting from home or businesses across Highway 24 from the park will only be allowed to turn right (west) onto the road.
    Both lanes of Highway 24 will go straight to the Veterans Memorial Parkway. The right lane of Highway 24 will be allowed to turn right onto the bypass or travel straight. The left lane will be directed left onto the bypass.
    Traffic exiting out of the rear exit will turn right onto Brannen Road and then left onto Beasley Road to U.S. Highway 80. The back entrance to Mill Creek will be used only for exiting.
    Once all cars have exited from the park, traffic from Mill Creek Elementary will be directed right onto Beasley Road to Highway 80.
    Firecracker Fest has been a Statesboro tradition for many years and has been sponsored by Sea Island Bank for more than 15 years.
    “The Firecracker Fest is a great event for everyone in our community,” said Mike Rollins, the parks and recreation director. “We are excited to carry on this Statesboro tradition with the help of Sea Island Bank and our other generous sponsors.”
    This event would not be possible without the support of many sponsors and the community. Additional event sponsors include: Briggs and Stratton, Kiwanis Club, Coca-Cola, Subway, McDonald’s, Allgood Pest Solutions, Alltel Wireless, RSC Rental Equipment, Blanchard Equipment, and Chick-fil-A.
    For more information on the 2012 Firecracker Fest, call (912) 764-5637 or visit www.bullochrec.com.