The City of Highland Park and the Park District of Highland Park have announced plans for this year’s Independence Day celebrations, set to take place over two days on July 3 and 4. The events will mark the semiquincentennial, or 250th anniversary, of American independence.
Festivities begin on July 3 with Independence Fest at The Preserve of Highland Park from 5:30 to 9:30 PM. According to Terry Grossberg, Board President of the Park District of Highland Park, “Last July 3rd, the Park District launched Independence Fest as a new holiday kick-off celebration, which was a fabulous success. Hundreds of families and neighbors came together at The Preserve of Highland Park to enjoy entertainment, food, activities, and a strong sense of community,” he said. “We are thrilled to bring Independence Fest back this year with the addition of the City’s fireworks display, making the festivities even more memorable as we celebrate our country’s 250th birthday.”
This year’s festival will feature live music from Dancing Queen, an ABBA tribute band, followed by a DJ performance timed with the city’s fireworks show. Food trucks will be available for attendees. More details about Independence Fest can be found at https://www.pdhp.org.
The fireworks display is scheduled for July 3 at 9:30 PM at The Preserve and will be accompanied by patriotic music.
On July 4 at 10:30 AM in Downtown Highland Park, the America250-themed parade will take place. Community members are encouraged to create floats that highlight different aspects of American history or their own stories related to national heritage. Applications for parade participation are currently open through https://www.cityhpil.com/independenceday.
After the parade on July 4, Hidden Creek AquaPark will host a Star-Spangled Pool Party featuring a DJ and themed games. Parade participants will receive free admission; other attendees can purchase food specials from concessions.
Mayor Nancy Rotering commented on the significance of this year’s celebration: “We are so excited to join communities across the country in celebrating the semiquincentennial of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, highlighting our community’s deeply-held welcoming and affirming values as a key part of our nation’s story,” she said. “We’re also looking forward to the return of our spectacular fireworks display, and are grateful to everyone who shared their feedback last year as we considered the best approach for an evening display.”
Both organizations stated that planning is ongoing and further updates would be provided through their respective websites (https://www.cityhpil.com) and (https://www.pdhp.org).
There will not be a public remembrance event this year in response to input from victims and recommendations from federal victim services experts following recent incidents in Highland Park. Instead, individuals seeking personal reflection may visit a temporary memorial near City Hall at Rose Garden (1707 St. Johns Ave.), which remains open at all times. Support continues to be offered through Highland Park’s Resiliency Division for those affected by past tragedies; information about these services is available at https://resilienthpil.org.
