EVANSTON, IL — For the first time in four years, Evanstonians are set to have a chance to experience the community’s traditional Independence Day festivities.
This year’s theme is “Community United Cannot Be Divided,” with a day of events planned throughout town.
The Evanston Fourth of July Association was forced to cancel the 2020 parade due to restrictions associated with the coronavirus pandemic, and the association’s leadership elected to call off the 2021 edition due to public health concerns.
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Then last year, a mass shooting at the Highland Park parade and an hourslong manhunt for the gunman led organizers to cancel celebrations in Evanston.
This year’s 4th of July events begin at 9 a.m. with morning games and activities at seven locations around Evanston, including Baker Park, Kamen Park, Fleetwood-Jourdain Center, Robert Crown Center, Lincolnwood School, Willard School and Evanston Township High School.
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Activities are set to include sack races, Frisbee, jump rope competitions, pie and watermelon eating contests and end at 11 a.m. or noon, depending on the location.
The half-mile Evanston 4th of July Kids Fun Run begins at 12:45 p.m. at Ackerman Park, which is located at Central Street and McDaniel Avenue.
Participants can register online or from noon to 12:30 p.m. on race day for $15, with proceeds benefiting the nonprofit Evanston Fourth of July Association.
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The 2023 Evanston Independence Day parade begins at 2 p.m. on Central Street at Central Park Avenue before heading east to Ashland Avenue.
Chairs can be placed along the Central Street route starting at 6 a.m. on July 1.
The Palatine Concert Band is set to perform from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Arrington Lakefront Lagoon at Dawes Park, with lakefront fireworks due to begin around 9:30 p.m.
Evanston police plan to set up security measures for this year’s event. Attendees at the parade and fireworks should expect to see an larger number of police officers, heightened security at intersections along the parade route and an Evanston Police Department drone team.
The city has also hired a contractor called Global K-9 Protection Group to use dogs to search the parade route for suspicious items.
The all-volunteer Evanston Fourth of July Association was founded in 1922 to offer a safe, supervised 4th of July celebration after a child was injured playing with fireworks. The annual fireworks show moved from Northwestern University’s football stadium in 1979.
The association receives no government funding, and Evanston’s July 4 events cost about $75,000 a year to produce. And the last-minute cancelation of the 2022 parade and fireworks left the organization behind on finances after the association paid off all its venders, according to a fundraising appeal from late last year.
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