Display the American flag, dress in red, white and blue, fire up the grill and get ready to celebrate the Fourth of July.
The Fourth of July, also known as Independence Day, is a federal holiday that commemorates the passage of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776.
Festivities in the metro area will stretch from July 3-5. The federal holiday will be observed on July 5 this year since July 4 falls on a Sunday.
The Town of Livingston plans to celebrate Independence Day on July 1 from 5-9:30 p.m. with the final Livingston Local Spring Market, children’s activities, food trucks, music by The Rails, a performance by The Band U.S. and fireworks.
Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the gate. Children 12 and younger will be admitted for free. For ticket information, go to https://thetownoflivingston.com/livingstonlocal/.
Many northeast Jackson and Madison County residents will kick off their holiday weekend by running in the Farm Bureau Watermelon Classic on July 3.
“We are hoping to reach the same number of participants we had two years ago,” said Andrea Patterson, race director for the Watermelon Classic.
“We had 1,200 participants in 2019. We’re one of the largest 5ks in the state.”
The Watermelon Classic, which benefits the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, begins on Lakeland Drive in front of the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum and finishes in the parking lot in front of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum.
“A lot of people love to do the Watermelon Classic,” Patterson said. “1996 was the first race, and we have people who have been doing this with family and friends for years. It’s a very competitive event that also attracts some of the state’s fastest runners.”
Race day events will include a competitive 5k run, 5k walk and the TrustCare Kids One Mile Fun Run. Cash prizes will be awarded to overall 5k run winners and there will be medals for overall winners and age group winners for each event.
In keeping with its name, ice cold watermelon is served at the finish.
“We will have 50 massive watermelons,” Patterson said. “You wouldn’t believe it, but they feed that many people.”
Registration will close on July 2 at 5 p.m. There will be no registration on the day of the event. Race packets can be picked up on July 1 and 2 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. and on July 3 from 6:30-7:15 a.m. For more information, phone 601-982-8264.
The city of Jackson Department of Parks and Recreation has scheduled a fireworks extravaganza on July 3 at 7 p.m. at Smith Wills Stadium, 1200 Lakeland Drive. It’s a free event.
The city council authorized the mayor at its May 25 meeting to execute an agreement with Artisan
Pyrotechnics for the fireworks display at a cost not to exceed $23,000.
Vendors will be set up at Smith Wills with food for purchase. For more information, contact parks and recreation at 601-960-0471.
Liberty Park in Madison will be the site of the city of Madison’s fireworks display on July 5 at 9 p.m. Food trucks will be at the park beginning at 7:30 p.m.
The Madison mayor and aldermen accepted a $12,000 bid from PyroMania Fireworks of Louisiana to present the fireworks show.
For more information, call Madison City Hall at 601-856-7116.
The Mississippi Championship Hot Air Balloon Fest will open on July 1 with a launch party from 6-9 p.m. on the Courthouse Square in Canton. A competition fight is scheduled on July 2 at 6 a.m. at the Canton Multipurpose Center.
The Celebrate America Balloon Glow, a free event, is scheduled on July 2 from 5-9 p.m. at the balloon field at Northpark in Ridgeland. The Mississippi Championship Balloon Fest will inflate balloons and light up the night.
Food vendors, music and a children’s area will be part of the fun. The entertainment schedule includes Dialogue on the Hill, a Chicago tribute band, at 5 p.m.; a welcome, 6 p.m.; the Blues Boyz, 6:30 p.m.; and Victory Belles, 8:30 p.m. Fireworks will be set off at 9:15 p.m.
For more information on the Balloon Glow, phone Ridgeland Recreation and Parks at 601-853-2011.
The Mississippi Championship Hot Air Balloon Fest will include on July 3 a balloon chase bike ride (6 a.m. registration) and competition flight at the Canton Multipurpose Center at 7 a.m.; balloon fest at the Canton Multipurpose Center from 6:30-9 p.m.; balloon/chase run/walk and kids one-mile fun run (5:30 p.m. registration) at 6:30 p.m.; balloon glow with music by DJ William Griffin at 7:30 p.m.; Good Samaritan’s $5,000 golf ball drop fundraiser at 8 p.m.; and fireworks at 9 p.m.
St. Richard Catholic Church has scheduled its parish picnic on July 4. It will conclude with fireworks on the parish football field at dusk.
Some organizations chose to celebrate the Fourth of July ahead of the actual weekend. The Barnett Reservoir Foundation presented its 10th annual Independence Celebration on June 26 at Old Trace and Lakeshore Parks. The Dash ‘N Splash – Race for Brain and Spinal Cord Injury was also held on July 26 at Old Trace Park in Ridgeland.
