Celebrate America on July 4!
Free Concert, Children’s Activities and Patriotic Fireworks Display
June 27, 2017
From sea to shining sea, the Fourth of July is a day that unites the nation with patriotic love. Locally, Tallahassee comes together under the spacious skies of Tom Brown Park for the annual Celebrate America event. From 5 to 10 p.m., enjoy family-friendly fun, live music and the spectacular fireworks display.
Celebrate America, the City of Tallahassee's annual Independence Day festival, includes the official welcoming ceremony at 5:30 p.m. on the main stage and the always-moving naturalization ceremony for new American citizens at 6:40 p.m.
"Welcoming our newest citizens on the Fourth of July is one of our community's proudest moments," Mayor Andrew Gillum said. "The Celebrate America event has become one of Tallahassee's most unique and moving traditions, and I invite all of our community to come out and take part."
This year, the main stage will feature two popular local bands – Tom & The Cats and Tallahassee Nights Live. The City's Showmobile stage will feature local community talent, including Tallahassee Community College Dance Company and various other groups.
Once it's dark, the pièce de résistance – the fireworks display – will light up the night sky. Sponsored by Your Own Utilities, fireworks will begin around 9:45 p.m.
While parents enjoy the music, kids can enjoy a variety of inflatables, supervised arts and crafts, water slides and games galore! Be sure to bring the sunscreen, bathing suits, towels and a change of clothes for the kids.
Guests are welcome to pack a picnic, but there will be plenty of food vendors on hand offering up everything from sweet treats to barbecued meats. No personal alcohol is permitted. A public beer garden will be available to those 21 and older with a valid ID.
Since there is limited parking in the park, StarMetro, the City's mass transit system, will offer free shuttles to Tom Brown Park from the Koger Office Center beginning at 5:30 p.m. Passengers should park at the Koger complex on Capital Circle Southeast, just south of Old St. Augustine Road. Shuttles will load on the side of the Hartman Building facing Capital Circle and will run about every 15 minutes, with the last bus to the park leaving the Koger Center at approximately 8:30 p.m. Return shuttles back to Koger begin once the fireworks show is over.
Basic rules for the Celebrate America event include:
- All vehicular access to Tom Brown Park, except for the StarMetro shuttles, will be closed at 8:30 p.m. or earlier based on parking availability.
- No personal fireworks (including sparklers) or grills are allowed.
- No personal tents are permitted in the concert area.
- Patrons using the StarMetro shuttle are advised that coolers larger than 12 quarts will not be permitted on buses.
- No pets (except service animals) are permitted on the StarMetro shuttle or at the Celebrate America event.
In the event of inclement weather, an announcement with safety directions will be made over the main stage speakers. Bad weather could cause portions of the event to be delayed or cancelled. Day-of event information will be available at Twitter.com/COTParks and Facebook.com/COTParks.
Additionally, some amenities of Tom Brown Park will be impacted by the event. The dog park will close at 5 p.m. on July 3, remain closed all day on July 4 and reopen at 6 a.m. on July 5. The disc golf course will remain open for limited use on July 4, with some holes not playable due to Celebrate America activities.
Celebrate America is presented by the City of Tallahassee and is coordinated by the City's Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Affairs Department (PRNA). For more information, please contact PRNA at 891-3866 or visit Talgov.com/parks.
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