Some 15,000 people gathered at the Evans Towne Center, Saturday evening, for Columbia County’s annual tribute to U.S. armed forces.
By the time Thunder Over Evans 2024 kicked off at 6 p.m. with a military salute, crowds of attendees, many camped with foldable lawn chairs, were covering most of the greenspace in and around Evans Towne Center Park. A stroll along the walk surrounding the Lady A Pavilion would find visitors of all ages either resting in provisional theatre seating made of picnic blankets and canvas chairs, playing catch, or wandering to and from the various vendors.
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Festivities were in full swing well before the fireworks and drone shows after nightfall. While vehicles quickly filled the Columbia County Government and Justice Center parking lots, as well as the spaces at the Evans Towne Center Plaza, Performing Arts Center and the Market, several families opted to set up along nearby sidewalks on Evans to Locks Road and Ronald Reagan Drive.
“So the children can have room to play,” said Krystle Leive, who came with family, set up on the grass in front of the courthouse, to watch the “spectacular show” that ensued after 9 p.m.
Rodney Phillips, who retired from the Army just last November, picnicked with friends and family along Ronald Reagan Drive as well — mainly, he said, for the fireworks — but to “commemorate the day” and enjoy the “family environment.”
Fort Eisenhower Command presented the military salute, which included veteran processions, a posting of the colors and even an homage to women in the military, with female active service members dressed in uniform representing women in World Wars I and II and Vietnam.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
