Lexington announces Fourth of July plans

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - July 4th is less than a month away, and the City of Lexington is ready to celebrate big. This morning they announced their plans for a four-day celebration.

RJ Corman is where the city’s fireworks have been launched for the last few years. Leading up to the fireworks show on the 4th. The city is hosting a variety of family-friendly events.

This year’s Independence Day celebration is filled with what Mayor Linda Gorton calls “everyone’s hometown favorites.”

“The patriotic concert, the ice cream social, the Bluegrass 10,000, a parade, the Fourth of July festival and market and, of course, the fireworks,” said Mayor Gorton.

Lexington Parks and Recreation is overseeing the four days of fun.

Activities kick off on Saturday, July 1, with “Red, White and Blues” at the Moondance Amphitheater from 5:30–9 p.m.

On Sunday, there will be an ice cream social from 2–4 p.m. at Henry A. Tandy Centennial Park.

On Monday, there’s a patriotic concert at Transylvania University and Gratz Park. It starts at 5 p.m. and features the Lexington Philharmonic.

Then, to kick off the day of celebrations is the 47th Annual Bluegrass 10,000 and Fun Run. Runners will lace up their shoes for a 7:25 a.m. start time at the corner of Main St. and N. Limestone St. After the run people can enjoy the festival and market from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This spans from the courthouse plaza to the 5/3 Pavilion.

“We are still seeking interested artists, performers, and food and beverage vendors to apply and attend,” said Lexington Parks and Rec Deputy Director Adrienne Thakur.

At noon, the parade steps off and will go down Main Street. Then, around 10 p.m., fireworks will light up the night sky from the RJ Cormon Rail Yard.

Mayor Gorton says safety is top of mind for all of these events. She says she wants people to have fun, be respectful of each other, and stay vigilant.

“Our police department puts a lot of extra people on duty, so we can cover all these areas where all these people are,” Mayor Gorton said. “Fire always has people on standby. Don’t drink and drive, and there are going to be a lot of people, and there could be some frustration with slow traffic, so be patient.”

If you’re interested in running in the races, participating in the parade or being a vendor, the city says sign-ups are still open.

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