Highwaymen Show Tribute to headline Independence Day celebration as part of America-250
MOUNT VERNON – Ariel-Foundation Park will host Mount Vernon’s annual Independence Day celebration on Saturday, July 4. The event features a free evening of live music, food vendors, family fun, and the city’s fireworks display.
The event is part of Ohio’s America-250 celebration, commemorating the nation’s 250th anniversary.
The celebration takes place at the Schnormeier Event Center, with doors opening at 5 p.m. Backroad Divas kick off the evening at 5:30 p.m. with favorite hits from some of the most recognizable female artists in country music from the 1990s.
Linden and Melvin bring their unique violin-and-guitar sound to the stage at 6:15, blending progressive folk, newgrass, bluegrass, jazz, and Americana influences into fresh takes on 70s and 80s favorites.
Headlining the evening at 7:30 p.m. is the Highwaymen Show Tribute, which recognizes the legendary country music supergroup and features songs by Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson.
Audiences can expect beloved classics, including “Ring of Fire,” “On the Road Again,” and “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys,” before the fireworks display begins at approximately 10 p.m.
Food & beverage
Food vendors stationed throughout the event area will provide food service beginning at 5 p.m.
Eventgoers can buy beer, wine, and liquor within the Schnormeier Event Center. Only alcohol purchased on-site may be consumed within the event center. Patrons cannot take alcohol outside the fenced area. Smoking and pets are prohibited inside the venue.
Super Q 93.7 FM will broadcast live from the park starting at 6 p.m. and will simulcast the music to the fireworks display. Eventgoers inside the event center can bring their own chairs or use the park’s. Those sitting on the lawn or terraces should bring their own seating.
This event is free and open to the public. All seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. No reserved seating or tables are available for purchase.
Volunteers from the Exchange Club of Mount Vernon and Knox County will help park attendees upon arrival. The majority of parking will be available in the following locations:
–The Lakes area, entering from Madison Avenue
–Near the Urton Clock House off Pittsburgh Avenue
–In designated lots off Harcourt Road
A limited number of accessible parking spaces will be available on a first-come, first-served basis in the Schnormeier Event Center lot.
There is no parking on the grass; parking is only in designated areas. Additional parking is available in downtown Mount Vernon, at the CA&C Depot, and at Memorial Park.
Guests are encouraged to use the bike trail and Riverwalk under the viaduct for convenient access to and from the park.
An all-day event
Those interested in spending the day at Ariel-Foundation Park are encouraged to enjoy the park’s trails, lakes, and recreational opportunities prior to the evening festivities. Guests watching fireworks from The Lakes area may bring kayaks or canoes equipped with appropriate safety gear. Swimming remains prohibited.
The Rastin Observation Tower will be open until 8 p.m. The Urton Clock House will be closed to the public during the event.
To secure the area for the fireworks presentation, the city will close the road through The Woods at 2 p.m. It will also close the main park road in front of the event center at 2 p.m., allowing only pedestrian and accessible parking traffic.
Pittsburgh Avenue will be closed from the Clock House parking lot to Seventh Avenue starting at 8 p.m. (residential traffic only.) The Lakes area gate at Madison Avenue will close at 10 p.m. Columbus Road will close to southbound traffic at approximately 9:30 p.m. It will remain closed until the park clears following the fireworks display.
Suggested alternative viewing locations for the fireworks include Arch Park, the Harcourt Road parking area at Ariel-Foundation Park, the CA&C Depot, and Memorial Park.
Click here for more information about the July 4th celebration, including event updates, parking information, and a site map.