Celebrating July 4th in Columbus

After a year of canceled parades and virtual events, many cities in central Ohio plan to bring their Fourth of July celebrations back with a bang.

While the largest fireworks show in the state will be missing — Red, White and Boom in Columbus may be rescheduled for late summer or the fall, officials say — there are plenty of others where locals can show their spirit.

Here are some events to attend over the long holiday weekend. All are scheduled for July 4 and are free unless otherwise stated.

Delaware County

  • Delaware: Parade, 3 p.m., begins at Delaware County Fairgrounds main gate, east on Pennsylvania. to Sandusky to Wilmer to Henry; Central Ohio Symphony concert, 7:30 p.m., Ohio Wesleyan University Phillips Glen, free lawn seating or $10 reserved chairs; fireworks, 10 p.m., viewing on Henry and Sandusky and Ohio Wesleyan athletic practice fields
  • Sunbury: July 3, farmers market and food trucks, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Sunbury Square, $5; parade, 10 a.m., begins and ends at Big Walnut High School, food trucks and bounce houses, 7 p.m., with fireworks at dusk

Fairfield County

  • Lancaster: July 5, parade, 10 a.m., begins at Fairfield County fairgrounds; craft show, 2 p.m., underneath fairgrounds grandstands; live music, 8 p.m., fairgrounds main stage with fireworks at 10 p.m.
  • Pickerington: July 2, fireworks, 10 p.m., launched at Pickerington High School Central; July 3, 10 a.m., parade, begins at high school, north on Lockville to Columbus to Hill and ends at Pickerington Ridgeview Junior High School

Franklin County

  • Bexley: John Barr 5K, 8 a.m., Jeffrey Mansion, presale tickets $30, $35 day of; parade, 9:30 a.m., begins at Maryland and North Cassingham, east on Maryland to Roosevelt to Astor to Euclaire to Main to Dawson to Fair and ends at Cassingham; community celebration, 6-11 p.m. with fireworks at end, Capital University, registration required at bexley.org/fourth.
  • Columbus: Doo Dah Parade, 1 p.m., begins at Buttles and Park, west on Buttles to Dennison to Collins to Neil to Second to High and ends at Russell; live music, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Goodale Park gazebo
  • Dublin: July 3, Sherm Sheldon Fishing Derby, 8 a.m., Avery Pond; parade, 11 a.m., begins at Metro Place North and Frantz and goes to State Route 161 to High to John Wright Lane; live music and entertainment, 4 p.m., Dublin Coffman High School Stadium, presale tickets $5, leftover tickets $10 day of online; lawn seating outside stadium does not require a ticket; fireworks, 9:50 p.m., high school
  • Gahanna: July 3, festivities and food, 5 p.m., with fireworks at 10 p.,m.; Gahanna Municipal Golf Course, registration required; July 4, parade, 1 p.m., begins at Clark Hall, west on Granville and concludes at Royal Plaza
  • Grove City: July 2, fireworks, 9:50 p.m., viewing at Grove City High School, Grove City Church of the Nazarene, Windsor Park, Hayes Intermediate School and J.C. Sommer Elementary School
  • Groveport: July 3, parade, 11 a.m., begins at Groveport Recreation Center, west on Main to Hendron and ends at Glendening Elementary School; live music, 7:30 p.m. concluding with fireworks set off from Heritage Park at dusk
  • Hilliard: July 3, parade, 9 a.m., begins at Franklin County Fairgrounds to Main to Norwich to Cemetery and ends at Hilliard United Methodist Church; Freedom Fest, 3 p.m., Roger Reynolds Municipal Park; fireworks at dusk at park 
  • New Albany: July 3, parade, 11 a.m., begins at New Albany Primary School, south on High to East Dublin-Granville and ends at Church of the Resurrection; festival with live entertainment, 6 p.m., New Albany Middle School; fireworks at dusk at middle school
  • Reynoldsburg: July 2, live entertainment and food trucks, 6:30 p.m. with fireworks at 9:45 p.m., Civic Park; July 3, parade, 10 a.m., begins at Rosehill and Main, east on Main to Lancaster and ends at Huber Park
  • Upper Arlington: Parade, 9 a.m., begins at Northwest Boulevard and Zollinger Road; Party in the Park, 5:30 p.m., Northam Park; 10 p.m., fireworks show at park
  • Westerville: July 3, 5K, 8 a.m., Westerville Sports Complex; live music, food trucks and activities, 5-10 p.m., Westerville Sports Complex, concludes with fireworks with viewing area at sports complex
  • Whitehall: July 2, picnic, 8 p.m., Whitehall-Yearling High School, tickets required; fireworks at dusk, John Bishop Park; July 3, parade, 10 a.m., begins at Yearling and Broad, south to Etna and ends at John Bishop Park
  • Worthington: fireworks, 10 p.m., viewing at Thomas Worthington High School

Delaware County

  • Delaware: Parade, 3 p.m., begins at Delaware County Fairgrounds main gate, east on Pennsylvania. to Sandusky to Wilmer to Henry; Central Ohio Symphony concert, 7:30 p.m., Ohio Wesleyan University Phillips Glen, free lawn seating or $10 reserved chairs; fireworks, 10 p.m., viewing on Henry and Sandusky and Ohio Wesleyan athletic practice fields
  • Sunbury: July 3, farmers market and food trucks, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Sunbury Square, $5; parade, 10 a.m., begins and ends at Big Walnut High School, food trucks and bounce houses, 7 p.m., with fireworks at dusk

Fairfield County

  • Lancaster: July 5, parade, 10 a.m., begins at Fairfield County fairgrounds; craft show, 2 p.m., underneath fairgrounds grandstands; live music, 8 p.m., fairgrounds main stage with fireworks at 10 p.m.
  • Pickerington: July 2, fireworks, 10 p.m., launched at Pickerington High School Central; July 3, 10 a.m., parade, begins at high school, north on Lockville to Columbus to Hill and ends at Pickerington Ridgeview Junior High School

Franklin County

  • Bexley: John Barr 5K, 8 a.m., Jeffrey Mansion, presale tickets $30, $35 day of; parade, 9:30 a.m., begins at Maryland and North Cassingham, east on Maryland to Roosevelt to Astor to Euclaire to Main to Dawson to Fair and ends at Cassingham; community celebration, 6-11 p.m. with fireworks at end, Capital University, registration required at bexley.org/fourth.
  • Columbus: Doo Dah Parade, 1 p.m., begins at Buttles and Park, west on Buttles to Dennison to Collins to Neil to Second to High and ends at Russell; live music, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Goodale Park gazebo
  • Dublin: July 3, Sherm Sheldon Fishing Derby, 8 a.m., Avery Pond; parade, 11 a.m., begins at Metro Place North and Frantz and goes to State Route 161 to High to John Wright Lane; live music and entertainment, 4 p.m., Dublin Coffman High School Stadium, presale tickets $5, leftover tickets $10 day of online; lawn seating outside stadium does not require a ticket; fireworks, 9:50 p.m., high school
  • Gahanna: July 3, festivities and food, 5 p.m., with fireworks at 10 p.,m.; Gahanna Municipal Golf Course, registration required; July 4, parade, 1 p.m., begins at Clark Hall, west on Granville and concludes at Royal Plaza
  • Grove City: July 2, fireworks, 9:50 p.m., viewing at Grove City High School, Grove City Church of the Nazarene, Windsor Park, Hayes Intermediate School and J.C. Sommer Elementary School
  • Groveport: July 3, parade, 11 a.m., begins at Groveport Recreation Center, west on Main to Hendron and ends at Glendening Elementary School; live music, 7:30 p.m. concluding with fireworks set off from Heritage Park at dusk
  • Hilliard: July 3, parade, 9 a.m., begins at Franklin County Fairgrounds to Main to Norwich to Cemetery and ends at Hilliard United Methodist Church; Freedom Fest, 3 p.m., Roger Reynolds Municipal Park; fireworks at dusk at park 
  • New Albany: July 3, parade, 11 a.m., begins at New Albany Primary School, south on High to East Dublin-Granville and ends at Church of the Resurrection; festival with live entertainment, 6 p.m., New Albany Middle School; fireworks at dusk at middle school
  • Reynoldsburg: July 2, live entertainment and food trucks, 6:30 p.m. with fireworks at 9:45 p.m., Civic Park; July 3, parade, 10 a.m., begins at Rosehill and Main, east on Main to Lancaster and ends at Huber Park
  • Upper Arlington: Parade, 9 a.m., begins at Northwest Boulevard and Zollinger Road; Party in the Park, 5:30 p.m., Northam Park; 10 p.m., fireworks show at park
  • Westerville: July 3, 5K, 8 a.m., Westerville Sports Complex; live music, food trucks and activities, 5-10 p.m., Westerville Sports Complex, concludes with fireworks with viewing area at sports complex
  • Whitehall: July 2, picnic, 8 p.m., Whitehall-Yearling High School, tickets required; fireworks at dusk, John Bishop Park; July 3, parade, 10 a.m., begins at Yearling and Broad, south to Etna and ends at John Bishop Park
  • Worthington: fireworks, 10 p.m., viewing at Thomas Worthington High Schoo

Licking County

  • Granville: July 2-5, Festivities downtown, noon; July 2, festivities at Wildwood Park, 8 p.m. with fireworks at 10 p.m.; July 5, Firecracker 5K, 7:45 a.m., Granville Rotary; 10:45 a.m., parade, begins near Wildwood Park and goes along Broadway

Madison County

  • West Jefferson: July 2-4, Streetfest, South Center and Pearl streets, $10; July 3, parade, 10 a.m.; July 4, fireworks, 10 p.m.

Pickaway County

  • Ashville: June 30-July 4, festival and fish fry, Ashville Park; June 30, opening night parade, 7 p.m., begins at park; July 4, parade, 1 p.m.; fireworks, 10 p.m. at park

Union County

  • Marysville: July 3, 10 a.m., parade, begins at American Legion Park, east on Fifth to South Plum to Sixth and ends at Union County Courthouse; July 4, fireworks at dusk, Union County Fairgrounds

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