Highland Park officials lock in two days of Independence Day festivities

Making official a recommendation from earlier this year, Highland Park city and parks officials announced on Thursday that they will host Independence Day events on both July 3 and July 4.

A festival from the Park District of Highland Park will be held on July 3, replacing Fourth Fest, while the City will lead a remembrance ceremony and a parade on the Fourth, marking three years since the Highland Park shooting.

“Highland Park’s Independence Day events reflect the community’s patriotic spirit and steadfast commitment to supporting and celebrating each other,” Mayor Nancy Rotering said in a statement. “This year’s parade theme reminds us that teams bring people together in support of a common goal, and that we are most resilient when we support each other.”

As reported by The Record in January, city officials decided against a fireworks or drone show to punctuate the Fourth of July evening. According to a press release, the city will work with the community on possible 2026 activities.

The park district’s community festival is scheduled for 5:30-8:30 p.m. on July 3, at The Preserve of Highland Park, 1207 Park Ave. W. Food trucks, music, games and more are planned, and residents can look for updates on the park district’s website.

“Celebrating this national holiday with our loved ones is crucial to our community’s identity,” said Cal Bernstein, president of the Park District of Highland Park Board, in the release. “It is an opportunity to come together to share special moments with our neighbors and friends while we celebrate our nation.”

The July 4 remembrance is scheduled for 9 a.m. and will honor the seven individuals who died in the shooting in 2022, as well as “share solidarity” with all those injured and impacted by the shooting.

The parade, which has a Dream Team theme, will step off at 11 a.m. July 4 from First Street and Laurel Avenue and continue through downtown Highland Park and to Sunset Woods Park. Participants are encouraged to wear team or organization colors, jerseys and more. Signups for the parade will begin March 3. More information will be shared on the city’s dedicate Independence Day webpage.

This year’s events will be the third since the 2022 tragedy. After a memorial ceremony and walk in 2023, the city brought back a parade in 2024, though, along a new route. A drone show and concert ended the 2023 festivities, but neither was included last year either.

The Record is a nonprofit, nonpartisan community newsroom that relies on reader support to fuel its independent local journalism.

Subscribe to The Record to fund responsible news coverage for your community.

Already a subscriber? You can make a tax-deductible donation at any time.