Celebrate Independence Day in spectacular style. The Paradise Coast is gearing up for celebrations in a variety of locations to give local residents and visitors an unforgettable 4th of July experience.
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For the early bird fitness buff, the 31st annual Moe’s Firecracker 5K Run is cracking to life at Fleischmann Park from 7 to 9 a.m., Wednesday, July 4. Put on by the Gulf Coast Runners, the track is flat and fast and open to all comers. For more info and registration, please call 239-434-9786 or click here.
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Join the city of Naples for a classic Independence Day celebration, starting with a parade and ending with a bombastic fireworks display.
Starting at 10 a.m., downtown comes to life with a family-fun parade. Beginning at Broad Ave. S., the parade route will take festive floats, entertainers, a salute to our armed services, and much more, north up Third Street South, then east along Fifth Avenue South.
All eyes will be on the sky come 9 p.m. when the Naples City Pier pyrotechnic display paints the night sky with burning light. Grab the lounge chair, picnic basket and blanket, and head to the beach for 30-minutes of unfettered fireworks joy. Admission is free; for more information, please visit naplesgov.com
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For a birds-eye-view of the fireworks, the Waterside Shops is inviting all you Red, White and Blue celebrants to a 4th of July Rooftop Party. Beginning at 7:30 p.m., Independence Day partiers are invited to stake their claim at a spot on the rooftop, enjoy some barbecue, ice cream for the kiddies (and adults with a sweet tooth), family activities and games, and of course, fireworks at 9 p.m. Admission is free; space is limited, so please call 239-598-1605 to RSVP before June 30.
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Bonita Springs is getting a hearty dose of the Red, White and Blue with the annual Star Spangled Bonita. The family-friendly Independence Day event begins at 4 p.m. at Riverside Park and will include a milieu of children’s activates (including water slides so bring a bathing suit for the kiddies!), eating contests for those with large appetites, an old-fashioned bed race along Old U.S. 41, a laser light show, and of course, a fireworks display. Headlining the live entertainment will be Deb & the Dynamics, belting out Motown, Memphis Soul and R&B ditties, while the Wildfire Blues Band will perform classic rock and blues. The laser light and fireworks show commences at 9 p.m. Admission is free; for more information, please call 239-949-6262, or visit cityofbonitasprings.org
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The Estero Historical Society will recognize Independence Day by taking a look at the document behind the celebration, the Declaration of Independence. Starting at 1 p.m., visitors are invited to join the historical society in Estero Community Park for a reading of the Declaration of Independence. Each visitor will be given copies of the document, and each will be encouraged to read a passage. Though more subdued then the “bombs bursting in air” festivities elsewhere, the Declaration of Independence reading is an exercise of community and remembrance, with each participant taking a moment to recognize what makes this country so special. Participants are encouraged to bring lawn chairs. Admission is free; please call 239-974-2346 or visit esterohistoricalsociety.com
