The city of Aurora will hold its annual July 4 parade through downtown. (Photo courtesy of City of Aurora)

Bring your blankets and lawn chairs, fill up your coolers and get ready for a show.

Kendall County communities will be celebrating the Independence Day holiday with picnics, fireworks and more.

Aurora

The city will hold its annual parade, which will begin at  10a.m. downtown starting at Benton and River streets.

Serving Aurora and the Fox Valley since 1937, the Aurora American Legion Band returns to RiverEdge Park for a patriotic performance.

Then, the world’s No. 1 Bruce Springsteen tribute band, Bruce in the USA, is going to rock RiverEdge Park. Bring the entire family to rock out to this free concert along the beautiful Fox River that ends in the City of Aurora’s spectacular fireworks display.

There will be food trucks and vendors on-site, and cold beverages will be available for purchase, including adult drinks at the bars.

 Oswego

Oswego’s annual Fourth of July fireworks display will be held at dusk, approximately 9:30 p.m., on Thursday, July 4, at Prairie Point Park, 4120 Plainfield Road, between Plainfield and Grove roads.

The rain date is scheduled for Friday, July 5.

Prairie Point Park in Oswego

Weather information and other real-time updates for the show will be available on the Village of Oswego’s Facebook page. Like or follow @VillageofOswego for notifications, including weather-related postponements and emergency evacuation instructions in inclement weather.
Parking is available at Traughber Junior High School, Eastview Elementary, Prairie Point Elementary and Oswego High School. Handicapped accessible parking will be available at the Oswego School District’s bus lot, 100 Plank Road.
Traffic and parking restrictions will be in effect on streets surrounding the park prior to and immediately following the fireworks. Temporary ‘no parking’ signs will be posted and enforced at the following locations:
• Route 71 between Route 34 and Forest Avenue
• Franklin Street, on the fire hydrant side only
• Wilmette Avenue, on the fire hydrant side only
• Calumet Street, on the fire hydrant side only
• Wooley Road between Plainfield Road and Colchester Drive
• Bell Court
• Plainfield Road between Route 71 and Linden Drive
• Grove Road between Plainfield Road and Arboretum Way
• The Prairie Point Park parking lot adjacent to the shoot zone

Prairie Point Park will be the place to gather around dusk for fireworks in Oswego on July 4. (Photo courtesy of Oswegoland Park District)

Regular ‘no parking’ signs are posted along both sides of Stonehill Drive, Theodore Drive, Templeton Drive, and Plank Road. These will also be enforced. Please remember that parking on private property is prohibited without prior permission from the landowner.
To alleviate congestion, traffic patterns will be changed at several intersections around the park. Those areas include:
• Motorists exiting both parking lots of Oswego High School and Eastview Elementary will only be allowed to travel northbound on Route 71.
• Motorists traveling east on Franklin Street will only be allowed to turn southbound onto Route 71.
• Motorists exiting Stonehill Road onto Wolf’s Crossing Road will be required to turn eastbound onto Wolf’s Crossing Road.
• Motorists exiting Stonehill Road onto Woolley Road will be required to turn eastbound onto Woolley Road.
• Motorists exiting from the Traughber Junior High School lot will only be allowed to travel northbound on Colchester Drive or eastbound on Woolley Road.
Oswego police officers, community service officers, and police explorers will be located at intersections to direct traffic. Please consider carpooling and remain patient while traffic is clearing.
For your safety, the shoot zone is a restricted area. Monitor children closely near this area. The shoot zone, located near the Prairie Point soccer fields, will be clearly marked with a yellow rope.
No alcoholic beverages are permitted. While dogs are permitted, pet owners are reminded that many dogs are frightened by fireworks and that the Fourth of July is the biggest day of the year for lost dog reports. Often, it is best to leave your pet home, in a quiet, secure environment.
For more free family-friendly events happening throughout Oswego, check out www.GoOswego.org!

The rain date is scheduled for Friday, July 5.
Weather information and other real-time updates for the show will be available on the Village of Oswego’s Facebook page. Like or follow @VillageofOswego for notifications, including weather-related postponements and emergency evacuation instructions in inclement weather.

Yorkville

The city will begin its Fourth of July 4 celebration with the parade.

Those looking to enter a float in the parade do not need to inform the committee of their participation prior to the parade.

Family activities will be held in the Town Square, 301 N. Bridge, Yorkville on July 4 immediately after the morning parade and end at noon.  (Photo courtesy of city of Yorkville)

All participating floats should arrive at the Yorkville High School, 797 Game Farm Road,  the morning of the parade starting at 7:30 a.m. for line-up.  The parade begins kicks off at 9 a.m. Parade Route is listed below:
Game Farm Road, Somonauk Street, King Street, West Main Street, Church Street, and the parade will end at the water tower.
Note that Beecher Road will be closed coming from Route 34 due to construction.  Parade parking and parade floats will need to access Game Farm Road from West Somonauk Street.
For more information, download the parade route map at www.yorkville.il.us.

Throwing candy from parade floats is not permitted. Candy may be thrown by those participants walking the parade route. Streets surrounding Town Square will be closed to traffic and parking during the parade and celebration.
Activities in the Town Square, 301 N. Bridge, will begin immediately after the parade and end at noon.

Activities will include children’s foot races, rides, water fights, and a performance by the Yorkville Community Band.  Food and drink will be available for purchase.
The fireworks will begin at dusk and will be shot off near the corner of Route 47 and Countryside Parkway. The Yorkville Big Band will also be performing at 8 p.m. at the Larson-Nelson Funeral Home.

All Fourth of July activities are free to everyone, except for food and drink purchases, and are subject to change without notice. Donations to help support this long-standing community event are appreciated and are accepted online or by check. Checks can be made out and mailed to: United City of Yorkville, 800 Game Farm Road, Yorkville IL 60560).  Write “4th of July” in the memo line.  All donations are tax deductible.

Tanner House

The Aurora Historical Society’s  52nd annual Independence Day Picnic and Ringing of the Bells will be held on the grounds of the Tanner House Museum, 304 Oak Ave., at the corner of Oak and Cedar Street, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on July 4.

Children pull on the ropes during the annual Independence Day bell-ringing while a camera operator films in 2014 at Tanner House in Aurora. (Photo courtesy of Tanner House)

In addition to old-fashioned traditions, there will be a patriotic concert by the American Legion Band and an appearance by race car driver Matt Mc Cain.  The event is free.

The day will feature a petting zoo, children’s entertainment by The Wonderful Wacky Juggler Andy Head, tours of the 1857 Tanner House with occasional live music by Brad Green and sons, traditional lawn games and make-your-own toys for children, and a blueberry pie-eating contest.  Hot dogs, sodas in vintage flavors and Oberweis ice cream will be available at nominal prices.

A highlight of the day will be children pulling the ropes of the historic bells on the lawn, to observe the national practice, established by President Kennedy in 1963, of ringing “freedom bells”.