Local communities planning America 250, July 4 celebrations
Local communities throughout the Miami Valley are going all-out for this year’s Fourth of July festivities, as part of America 250 celebrations honoring the country’s 250th birthday.
Special America 250 events are planned in Tipp City, Vandalia, West Milton and New Carlisle, in addition to traditional fireworks shows, concerts, 5K events and more, for a weekend-long celebration of America, and everything that makes it great.
Tipp City
Tipp City’s celebrations will kick off on Friday, July 3 with a special America 250-themed concert, and the Red, White and Play Family Game Night hosted by the Downtown Tipp City Partnership.
North Second Street will be closed during the free concert, which is part of the Hotel Gallery Community Night music series, while South Second Street will host an interactive play zone featuring games and activities.
The concert will celebrate America’s 250th anniversary the “Big Band way,” featuring a performance by the Unity Sax Quartet at 6:15 p.m., and The Kim Kelly Orchestra and vocalist Felita LaRock at 7:30 p.m. The Red, White and Play Family Game Night will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
On Saturday, July 4, celebrations at Kyle Park will begin with food trucks starting service at approximately 5:30 p.m., followed by a free concert featuring a performance by local rock/pop cover band Rock This Way starting at 6 p.m.
“They play everything from Journey to Bruno Mars,” Clerk of Council Janice Bates said, “so we thought they would be great for our audience here in Tipp City.”
Food trucks are also scheduled for the event, including La Grazia Mexican Food Truck, Showdogs Hotdogs, the Homestead Spud, Kona Ice of Troy, Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee, Godown’s Fixin’s, Sweet P’s Handcrafted Ice Pops, Sweet Tooth Ice Cream, The Messy Meatball, Sweet Concessions, Cumberland Kettlecorn, Redberry, Nacho Pig, Duke’s Concessions, and Billy Gold Bubble Tea.
The city’s fireworks display will begin at 10 p.m.
“It’s a free event,” Bates said. “People cannot bring their own personal fireworks, and there’s no alcohol.”
“It’s always very well-attended,” she said.
“Typically, it’s just the fireworks and food trucks,” Bates said. “Because of America 250, we’re making it more of a festival with the band this year.”
Vandalia
The city of Vandalia is planning a special Star-Spangled Celebration that will be held on Friday, July 3, featuring live music, food trucks, a fireworks display and a special America 250-themed laser light show.
“Expect a pretty amazing evening,” Vandalia City Manager Rich Hopkins said. “We have a lot of things lined up on any given year, but this year we threw in some extra stuff to make it more special for America 250.”
The celebration will be held at the Vandalia Sports Complex, located at 1111 Stonequarry Road, and will feature live music and a patriotic play area with bounce houses and face-painting for kids. The play area will open at 6 p.m., and food trucks will begin serving at 7 p.m.
Personal fireworks are not permitted during the event.
“We will have live music with an up-and-coming country artist, Ryan Mundy,” Hopkins said. “He’s from this area originally; we’re super-excited he’s going to be our musical act this year.”
“We will have a number of food vendors, everything from hot dogs and hamburgers to lumpias will be here,” he said. “Ice Cream and pretty much anything you can think of, we’ll have.”
“At ten o’clock, we’re going to have a super-spectacular fireworks show,” Hopkins said. “This year, on top of the fireworks, we’re also going to have the Electric Light Laser Show, so folks who are here on the grounds of the Sports Complex will get to see fireworks and the laser light show.”
The fireworks are funded by the City of Vandalia and Butler Township, as well as donations from local businesses and organizations, including Beau Townshend Ford, Smedley’s Chevrolet, Airport Toyota, Minster Bank, Dayair Credit Union, Digital Cowboy Computers, Pickrel, Schaeffer, and Ebeling, Attorneys-at-Law and T-Fiber.
“We get a lot of support from the business community,” Hopkins said.
“Vandalia is unique,” he said. “Our fireworks isn’t just the city of Vandalia; we partner with Butler Township for this, so the township and the city come together and share the cost for this event, then we turn to the business community and ask for sponsorship support.”
“We share a school district; we are one community, and so it makes sense that we would come together to throw this big party,” he said.
“We’ve got a huge show,” Hopkins said. “It should be something special. We’re really excited to be able to put this on for the community, and help honor America’s 250th.”
West Milton
The village of West Milton is planning a weekend-long celebration honoring America’s 250th anniversary, starting with a carnival at West Milton Community Park that will run from Wednesday, July 1 through Saturday, July 4.
A special America 250 community concert featuring Texas country artist Blake Robert will also be held on Friday, July 3 at West Milton Municipal Park. The concert will begin at 6 p.m.; admission to the concert and carnival is free.
Robert will perform on Washington Street, which will be closed to traffic during the event. The concert is sponsored by Dave Arbogast Auto Group.
“We’re excited about that,” Village Council Member and Vice-Mayor Sarah Gregory said. “He’s playing on Washington Street. We’re closing the road down.”
Bingo will be available at the Lyons Club Shelter in the park on July 2, July 3 and July 4, and food trucks will be at the park on Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4.
“It’s so fun,” Gregory said. “The carnival brings in food, and then we’ll have food trucks.”
“They usually have a Ferris Wheel, a Tilt-a-Whirl, a Scrambler-type ride, and there’s a funhouse,” she said.
The village’s annual Fourth of July parade and a special America 250-themed Red, White and Run 5K will be held on Saturday, July 4. Hoffman Global Methodist Church will also host a BBQ Chicken Dinner following the parade.
“The parade is at 11 a.m.,” Gregory said. “The 5K is at 8 a.m. at Milton-Union High School.”
“The 5K is also on Facebook, it’s called the Red, White and Run 5K in West Milton,” she said.
The village’s fireworks display will also be held at the park on Saturday, July 4, starting at 10 p.m.
“This year it’s a Saturday, so it’s perfect,” Gregory said.
“We only get to celebrate America turning 250 years old once,” she said. “We are going to celebrate, and celebrate big.”
New Carlisle
The city of New Carlisle celebrated the nation’s 250th anniversary with a special America 250-themed Party in the Park, featuring live music, food trucks, games and activities for adults and children, and a fireworks display, as well as the burying of a special commemorative time capsule by the New Carlisle Historical Society and the New Carlisle Public Library.
The Great American Party in the Park was held at Haddix Field, 434 N. Main St., Field #1, on Saturday, June 27. Gates opened at 5 p.m.
The event featured a 50/50 raffle, and members of the American Legion Post 286 Ladies Auxiliary sold apple pie and ice cream. Commemorative Party in the Park glasses were available for purchase.
Local rock group Breakin' Even performed during the free concert.
“The New Carlisle Historical Society, The New Carlisle Library, and the City of New Carlisle have teamed up to bury a time capsule,” Hall said.
The city’s fireworks display began at 10 p.m. Sponsors for this year’s festivities include the city of New Carlisle, the New Carlisle Baseball and Softball Association, the Heritage of Flight Committee, the American Legion, and Arbor Homes.
“You don’t always get these moments in time to celebrate,” he said, “but the 250th anniversary is really exciting, and our community and surrounding communities came out and celebrated with us. Hopefully, we gave people something to remember for our 300th anniversary.”
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