Veterans Park Amphitheater is a 2,500-seat
amphitheater
An amphitheatre (British English) or amphitheater (American English; both ) is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and sports. The term derives from the ancient Greek ('), from ('), meaning "on both sides" or "around" and ...
located in
Albany, Georgia. It is part of a sports, entertainment and convention complex that also includes the
Albany Civic Center and
Albany Municipal Auditorium. From its opening in the mid 1980s into the mid 1990s, the amphitheater was an anchor for two major annual events in Albany; ''River Days'' in the spring and ''Fall on the Flint''. It is now primarily used for
concerts and
Memorial Day,
Independence Day
An independence day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or more rarely after the end of a military occupation. Man ...
and
Veterans Day celebrations.
Vietnam War Memorial
In 1989, ''The Veterans of the
Vietnam War Memorial'' was built and placed at the entrance of Veterans Park. John Griffin, a Vietnam veteran and Purple Heart recipient, came up with the idea for the structure and constructed the design. The monument was carved from a 24,000-pound block of Georgia granite and lists the 42 soldiers from
Dougherty and
Lee County who died in that conflict. John Griffin says everything from the drafting and designs, to the materials, and all the labor was done by Georgia veterans who served in the Vietnam War.
World War II Memorial
On November 11, 2013, a large Veterans Day crowd overflowed Veterans Park Amphitheater for the unveiling of ''The
World War II Memorial''. The Albany
American Legion
The American Legion, commonly known as the Legion, is a non-profit organization of U.S. war
War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militi ...
Post 30 and the SOWEGA Veterans Coalition worked over two years on the project and decided not to put names on the memorial because they were afraid they would forget someone, so instead they listed all the significant battles of the war. Charles Nicholson, Post 30 Financial Officer & Project Officer, said the $19,000 massive granite monument (19 feet long, 11 feet tall and weighing 11 tons) was paid for with donations. "America has celebrated Veterans Day since 1919," Albany Mayor Dorothy Hubbard said during the dedication ceremony. "But we are here to celebrate the men and women who served, fought and died for our freedoms in World War II. This monument will stand as a reminder to the people of Southwest Georgia that the sacrifices of the men and women who served will not be forgotten."
References
{{Reflist
External links
Albany Convention & Visitors BureaudtownAlbany.comexploregeorgia.org
Amphitheaters in the United States
Tourist attractions in Albany, Georgia
Buildings and structures in Albany, Georgia