City still planning on festivities for July 4

Huber Heights set to host events, with some restrictions in place.

The Independence Day celebrations in Huber Heights will look a little different this year.

Many cities in the Miami Valley have canceled their July 4 fireworks or festivals, but Huber Heights has modified their festivities to keep the events going.

“We’ve seen a lot of positive feedback from the community on this,” said Huber Heights City Manager Rob Schommer. “People just want to get together and celebrate Independence Day.”

The city will still be hosting a July 4 parade that Saturday morning. The parade will start at 10 a.m. and will go south on Brandt Pike from Chambersburg.

All vehicles in the parade will not be allowed to pass anything out or approach spectators. Those watching the parade will not be

permitted to gather in large groups and will be asked to remain spread out along the parade route. Later that evening, the city will set off fireworks to be viewed from Thomas Cloud Park, located at 4707 Brandt Pike.

The park will open at 6 p.m. for spectators to begin parking for the fireworks.

Food trucks will serve food and drinks from 6 p.m. until the sun sets. The food trucks will be following all local and state Department of Health guidelines.

Spectators for the fireworks will be guided in to park and will have to be spaced with gaps between each parked vehicle. Spectators will also be asked to view the fireworks from inside their cars or to sit outside the driver’s side of their car to maintain adequate distance from other spectators.

The increased distance will reduce the number of spectators in the park, and once capacity is met, no other vehicles will be permitted in, Schommer said.

Fireworks will begin at or about 10 p.m.

Dayton, Fairborn, Kettering, Moraine and Vandalia have all canceled their fireworks events, and festivals due to the coronavirus restrictions. Vandalia has postponed their event in hopes that they can have a festival at the end of the summer.