Morgan Hill’s annual Independence Day celebrations, which have brought thousands of visitors to town for the holiday festivities, promise to bring a busy slate of family-friendly fun yet again.
The two-day celebration will start July 3 with the children’s Patriotic Sing and Family Street Dance in the heart of downtown.
On July 4, the festivities continue early in the morning with the Freedom Fest 5K and 1-mile children’s run, for which registration starts at 6:30 a.m. That will be followed by the July 4 Car Cruise n’ Show at 9:30 a.m.
Then is the cornerstone of the annual festivities organized by nonprofit organization Independence Day Celebration—the Independence Day parade. The procession will follow its usual route around the downtown core: Monterey Road, West Main Avenue, Peak Avenue and West Dunne. Pre-parade entertainment starts at 9 a.m., with the parade starting at 10 a.m.
This year’s parade theme is “America, My Home Sweet Home.” The grand marshal is Eddie Bowers, a local resident and Vietnam War veteran. Bowers is known to locals chiefly as the organizer for annual ceremonies honoring veterans at the downtown First Street memorial every Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
The parade will be dedicated to the memory of former Morgan Hill Mayor Dennis Kennedy, who died due to complications from a brain tumor earlier this year. Kennedy is also a past grand marshal of the Morgan Hill July 4 parade.
After the parade, revelers can relax by taking in the car show downtown, and making their way over to Condit Road for “fireworks with a splash.” The Dennis Kennedy Aquatics Center, 16200 Condit Road, will be welcoming swimmers from 6 to 10 p.m. (purchase tickets at morganhillaquaticfoundation.org).
Bring a picnic to the Outdoor Sports Center (Condit Road between Tennant and East Dunne avenues), where pre-fireworks live entertainment starts at 5 p.m. Fireworks will begin at dark at the OSC.
The annual Freedom Fest celebration is organized and funded by nonprofit IDC.
“Morgan Hill has been a special home for me,” reads IDC President Jeff Dixon’s introduction to the 2016 Freedom Fest, found in the event’s program. “It is a vibrant place with a strong sense of community and willingness to give back that I haven’t seen anywhere else in my travels.”
For more information and a complete schedule of Freedom Fest events, visit morganhillfreedomfest.com.
