ATLANTA — Saturday marks 20 years since a series of attacks terrorized the nation.
On Sept. 11, 2001, thousands of civilians and first responders were killed as the Twin Towers in New York and sections of the Pentagon in Washington were targeted in a deadly ambush.
Over the weekend, people across the nation and metro Atlanta are organizing to honor those we lost two decades ago.
Here are events happening over the weekend in and around Atlanta you can attend to memorialize the day.
9/11 remembered in Georgia
Saturday, Sept. 11
Winder Memorial Service (Barrow County) — Winder is having a Memorial Service at 8:30 a.m. at Fire Station #1 located at 90 Broad Street.
9/11 Stories of Bravery event (Cobb County) — The Warrior Alliance Home Base is hosting a Stories of Bravery event at the Omni Hotel at The Battery Atlanta starting at 5 p.m. Before entering Truist Park for the Atlanta Braves game, fans are invited to hear stories of a FDNY Ladder 10 firefighter and NY Port Authority employee. The event will also feature Atlanta-area veterans. To register, click here.
Atlanta Braves vs. Miami Marlins (Cobb County) — The Atlanta Braves will have a special pregame event and on-field ceremony. It includes a tribute video and a stadium-wide moment of silence. Two local firefighters will perform the National Anthem while a giant American flag is unfurled across the outfield and carried by around 100 first responders concluded with a fly-over performed by four F16s from Shaw Airforce Base. During the game, there will be several tributes of remembrance. Click here to get tickets.
Marietta Memorial Ceremony (Cobb County) — The city is holding a memorial ceremony at 7:55 a.m. to 11 a.m. in front of the Visitors Center at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. The ceremony will include bagpipes, Retired NYFD Capt. James D’Avolio as a speaker, a 21 Gun Salute by Cobb County Police Honor Guard, a riderless Horseman presentation by the Cobb County Sheriff’s Department, and a reading of the names of the 2, 977 innocent victims at the end of the Ceremony.
Annual 9/11 Patriot Day Ceremony (Dawson County) — The Dawson County Sheriff’s Office is hosting the Annual 9/11 Patriot Day Ceremony at the Dawson County High School Performing Arts Center at 1665 Perimeter Road. It starts at 8:15 a.m. and will include guest speakers Congressman Andrew Clyde and State Rep. Will Wade.
Remembrance Ceremony (Fayette County) — Peachtree City Police Department and Peachtree City Fire Rescue is holding a Remembrance Ceremony at 8:30 am at city hall at 151 Willowbend Road.
We Remember Ceremony (Fulton County) — The City of Alpharetta and Rotary Club of Alpharetta is hosting the event on the Alpharetta Town Green in front of city hall. Pre-program music and videos begin at 8:15 a.m. and the program starts at 8:30 a.m. Radio personality Cadillac Jack will be the MC and Alpharetta’s Director of Public Safety, John Robison will be the keynote speaker.
2,977 Paper Cranes Art Installation (Gwinnett County) — In partnership with the City of Lilburn, 2,977 origami folded paper cranes will be suspended from a large oak tree at Lilburn City Park as part of a stunning public art memorial. Each paper crane has one victim’s name handwritten on it, along with the 20th anniversary date of 9/11/21. It will be introduced to the public with a brief ceremony at 12 p.m. Lilburn Mayor Tim Dunn will be offer words, and the sheriff, fire, and Lilburn Police Departments will be represented. The ceremony will take place right next to the art installation, which is located directly in front of the children’s playground. In case of rain, the ceremony will be moved to the Gartrell Nash Pavilion, which is located behind the children’s playground at Lilburn City Park.
Gainesville's Green Street (Hall County) — Gainesville is having a "healing event" in memory of those who died. Churches will toll their bells at 8:46 a.m., the time the first plane struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. Two minutes of silence will follow and then trumpeters will play "Taps" up and down Green Street. Citizens are asked to line the sidewalks of the historic corridor. The fire department will bring the bell firefighters have used in past 9/11 ceremonies to the event.
Hall County remembrance event (Hall County) — Members of Hall County Fire Services and the Hall County Sheriff's Office will participate in an event at Memorial Park South Funeral Home at 8:30 a.m. They'll begin with an invocation and welcome from the sheriff's office chaplain followed by words of reflection from Stoney Bowles, the Deputy Chief of Operations for Hall County Fire. The fire department Honor Guard will lower the flag and play 'Taps.' Hall County 911 will read a memorial across the emergency radio.
Morgan County Memorial Service (Morgan County) — Morgan County is having a memorial service at 8:30 a.m. at the county's Public Safety Complex, located at 1380 Monticello Road.
Paulding County Ceremony (Paulding County) — The county sheriff's office and fire department will hold a ceremony at the 9/11 memorial site at Mt. Tabor Park on 1550 East Paulding Drive in Dallas. Organizers say social distancing will be practiced at the outdoor event as a precaution. It begins at 8:40 a.m.
Earlier events
Friday, Sept. 10
Public Safety Recognition & Memorial Service (Carroll County) — The community is invited to the county's Public Safety Recognition & Memorial Service at 9:30 a.m. at the Public Safety Memorial Park at 1050 Newnan Road in Carrollton.
Patriot Day Ceremony (Cherokee County) — The county is holding it's annual Patriot Day Ceremony at 8:30 a.m. in downtown Canton at the Public Safety Memorial at Rotary Park, which is located between the historic courthouse and the Justice Center. Retired U.S. Army Sgt. Major Dan McNeal is the keynote speaker of the event.
Hebron Christian School (Gwinnett County) — Patriots Day will be held at Hebron Christian School at 775 Dacula Road in Dacula from 8:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. There will be a First Responder Parade, guests can gather in the cafeteria for breakfast and a devotional from 8:45 a.m. to 9:15 a.m., and first responders will go to assigned classrooms from 9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
Forsyth County Ceremony (Forsyth County) — The county is inviting the community to a ceremony at 10 a.m. under the large picnic pavilion at the bottom of the open lawn hill at Fowler Park. There will be remarks from Forsyth County Fire Chief Barry Head and Sheriff Ron Freeman, a Presentation of Colors by the Fire Department and Sheriff's Office Honor Guards, and wreath laying ceremony by the Chestatee River Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Snellville Police Department 9/11 remembrance (Gwinnett County) — The Snellville Police Department is holding a brief 9/11 remembrance event at 7:15 a.m. at City of Snellville Police Department at 2315 Wisteria Drive in Snellville.
