VALDOSTA, Ga. – The 2019 Special Olympics State Fall Games were held last weekend at Freedom Park. The Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks & Recreation Authority was honored to host the event.

Friday marked the beginning of the Fall Games with an Opening Ceremony held at Lowndes High School. The ceremony was a wonderful event that welcomed the participating counties from all over Georgia with the help of countless sponsors and community leaders in Valdosta.

Mayor John Gayle delivered the welcome for the event and introduced the host for the evening, Mayoral Candidate Scott James Matheson.

The opening ceremony featured a parade that showed off the banners and flags representing each agency that is set to compete this weekend. Valdosta State University’s Spotlighters and Red Hots gave an outstanding performance.

The ceremony ended with the traditional Torch Run followed by the lightening of the cauldron.

Athletes competed in Softball and Bocce events at Freedom Park from Friday, October 11 through Sunday October 13, while golfers played at Stone Creek Golf Club on Saturday, October 12.

There was a big turnout for the games this weekend.