Columbia County manager defends ticketed Boom in the Park policy as resident-first crowd control

Columbia County Manager Scott Johnson said the county’s decision to make this year’s Boom in the Park a ticketed event aims to improve safety and the family experience by managing park capacity, not to exclude non-residents.

"We're going to issue tickets and we're going to issue so many to each family and we're going to start with Columbia County residents because it's a Columbia County event," Johnson said on the County Compass podcast. He said a resident-only sales window will be followed by an opportunity for people in neighboring communities to purchase remaining tickets until capacity is reached.

Johnson framed the change as a response to community feedback that some county events have become overcrowded. He said tickets help with law enforcement, medical response and cleanup logistics, and that limiting in-park numbers prevents unsafe crowding that has led to fights and poor experiences in the past.

Regional outreach: Johnson said he spoke with Mayor Garnett Johnson of Augusta, who urged the county to ensure neighbors could attend; the county manager said the county will open remaining tickets to surrounding jurisdictions and that officials want the event to be inclusive.

What’s next: The county will finalize ticketing procedures and publicize the resident sales window and the schedule for when non-residents may purchase remaining tickets, Johnson said.

Attribution: Quotations and factual claims in this article are from Scott Johnson, county manager, as presented on the County Compass podcast.