Good Morning!
Two hundred and fifty years. However you're spending it, boat parked in front of the fireworks, chairs set up downtown, or just enjoying a quiet weekend at the lake house, this is the kind of Fourth that doesn't come around twice in a lifetime, so I wanted to make sure you had everything in one place.
This weekend, Lake Country is showing up for it. Head to downtown Greensboro for the Liberty & Local Scavenger Hunt, swing by Higher Ground Bistro in Milledgeville on July 3rd for Brunch on Us, or join Nick Montgomery's 250th Bash for an afternoon of food, music, and lake views. Downtown Milledgeville is lighting up the sky with fireworks, and Putnam County's bringing a drone show to celebrate America's 250th in style.
Before the celebrations kick off, a quick reminder for anyone with a pet in the house: fireworks are loud, sudden, and genuinely stressful for a lot of dogs and cats. Keep pets indoors during shows, make sure their tags and microchip info are current in case they bolt, and if you know your pet gets anxious, talk to your vet ahead of time about options. A little prep now saves a stressful night later.
💙Holly
Making Waves is brought to us by Nick Montgomery, Keller Williams Realty Lake Oconee
If you've been waiting for the right entry point onto Lake Sinclair, Nick just listed one worth a look. 451 Loblolly Drive in Sparta sits on a deep-water lot with a single boathouse and genuinely great water depth, the kind of spot where you walk down, step onto the dock, and you're in business. The screened-in porch runs 12x24 feet along the lakeside, which is exactly where you'll want to be most evenings.
Inside, it's a solid stick-built home: 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, 1,520 square feet, framed with 2x6 walls and 2x8 rafters, so it's not just a lake cottage, it's built to last. One bedroom and bath are on the main level with vaulted ceilings, a loft bedroom is upstairs, and downstairs adds a renovated bath plus a bonus sleeping/hobby room and workshop space. The roof's a 5-year-old metal roof, the water heater's newer, and the septic has a 2025 drain field with a fresh tank pump.
You won't make it onto this dock by this 4th of July, but at $369,000 for deep water, it's the kind of listing that gets you set up to be watching the fireworks from your own porch next year.
Reach Nick at [email protected] or (706) 816-0841.
Featured Events
Independence Day at Lake Sinclair: Your Full Guide to Fireworks, Fun, and Freedom
America's 250th birthday deserves a proper lake celebration, and Savanna and I have pulled together everything you need to plan your Fourth of July weekend. Inside the guide: four separate fireworks shows across the area, including Nick Montgomery's Oconee Springs Park celebration on July 4th with live music, food, and waterslides, plus where to catch a drone show, which marinas can get you on the water without owning a boat, and where to find patriotic gear in Milledgeville and Eatonton.
Whether you're loading up the boat to watch fireworks from the water or setting up chairs at the dam, this guide covers the who, what, and when so you don't miss a thing. There's even a Liberty & Local Scavenger Hunt running all weekend for the family.
Click through for the full rundown, you'll want to bookmark this one before the holiday sneaks up on you.
Local Resources that we can’t live without!
There's a particular kind of gratitude that hits when you're not the one scrubbing algae off the dock at 9pm the night before a holiday. This week, that gratitude goes to two local businesses who quietly made sure our neighbors were ready for the big 250th.
Chris Watson and the C&M Lawncare crew kept lawns across Lake Sinclair and Lake Oconee mowed and manicured right up to the holiday, the kind of reliable, year-round care that means you never have to think twice before company shows up.
And down at the water, Mac Bedor of Southern Dock Solutions was out pressure-washing decking, tightening hardware, and handling last-minute repairs so docks were guest-ready and boathouses looked their best before the fireworks started.
This is what makes Lake Country work, local businesses who care about this community showing up, doing it right, and getting us all ready to celebrate.
Click to see the full calendar.
However you spend it, I hope this Fourth is one to remember, 250 years is worth celebrating properly. Enjoy the fireworks, hug your people, and give the dog a little extra reassurance tonight.
Happy 4th of July!
Holly