Edmond’s LibertyFest parade, fireworks: What you need to know

We have only seen the first half of LibertyFest Edmond's patriotic celebrations, but the main attractions are on the horizon.

Events still to come:

* The Patriotic Radio Show on July 3 at 6:30 p.m. at the Edmond History Museum;

* The Liberty Sprint in downtown at 8:15 a.m. on July 4;

* The Fourth of July parade at 9 a.m. Tuesday;

* The explosive fireworks show in Hafer Park at 9:30 that night.

What you'll need to know:

1. Do not park on any part of the parade route Tuesday morning; after 7 a.m., vehicles will be towed. The streets will be closed to traffic at 8 a.m. and Hafer Park will be restricted to vehicles beginning at sundown Monday for preparations.  

2. The parade route begins heading west on Ayers Street near the corner of University Drive, then travels south on Broadway past the reviewing stand (between Main Street and First Street). The route continues east on Second Street, and finally turns back north on University to conclude where it began at Ayers Street.

3. Get to the parade route early especially if you are watching on Ayers Street.  Parade participants begin to hit the reviewing stand on Broadway at 9:00 a.m., so it will leave the starting point closer to 8:45, according to the city’s special events committee. The parade lineup is immense, so it promises to have some great floats.

4. Need transportation? No one likes walking a ton of blocks in our Oklahoma heat, so LibertyFest and CityLink got together to help. Starting at 7:45 a.m. July 4, CityLink will have continuous operation during the event until approximately 90 minutes after the parade (about 1:15 p.m.) or until everyone has returned to their vehicles.

There will be pickup locations at the Walmart at Danforth Road and Sante Fe Avenue; the Crest at 15th Street and Santa Fe Avenue; and at the Target at 2nd Street and Bryant Avenue.

5. No Fourth of July celebration would be complete without a grand finale of fireworks. At Hafer Park, the parking lots next to the baseball fields will be closed all day on Monday and Tuesday to serve as a staging area for the fireworks and to provide a safety area.

Entering the park by vehicle will be restricted all day on July 4 as it “is necessary to ensure pedestrian and spectator safety before and after the show” according to the City of Edmond.

The best tips? Arrive early and have fun!