Fireworks displays fill holiday weekend

The Independence Day celebrations begin early with the Firefall and Concert in the Sky event Saturday at the Springfield-Branson National Airport.

Firefall Association and Springfield-Greene County Park Board will present the 25th annual event, which begins at noon and concludes with a 9:45 p.m. fireworks concert featuring the Springfield Symphony.

Throughout the day, there will be live music, a play area, concessions, skydivers, hot-air balloons and the Ozarks Idol singing competition. At 8:15 p.m., the 2005 Grammy award-winning Nitty Gritty Dirt Band will perform.

Parking is $2 for motorcycles, $8 for cars and $15 for RVs. City Utilities will provide shuttle service from North Town Mall and the Missouri Entertainment and Events Center every 15 minutes between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. and will return riders after the event. Shuttle fees are regular bus fare plus $2.

For more information, visit www.springfieldfirefall.com.

From 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Tuesday, the Midtown Neighborhood Association will sponsor the 16th annual Springfield’s Old-Fashioned 4th of July Parade & Celebration, free and open to the public.

The parade forms at 9 a.m. at the Drury University parking lot off Benton Avenue, north of Central High School. The route will travel north on Benton to Calhoun Street, east to Washington Avenue, north to Locust Street and east to Washington Park, where the festival continues until 1 p.m.

For more information or to download a parade entrant form, visit www.unaonline.org/calendar.php. Parade entrants are asked to donate $10.

Also Tuesday, James River Assembly presents its annual I Love America! event at Division Street and Highway 65.

Gates and concessions open at 11 a.m., with local bands and military displays at 1 p.m., an air show with a skydiving team and live music at 2 p.m. and a choir and orchestra concert at 6 p.m.

The Concert in the Sky fireworks show begins at 9 p.m., followed by a 10:30 p.m. performance by Christian rock band Sanctus Real.

For more information about I Love America!, visit www.iloveamerica.ws.[[In-content Ad]]