JULY FOURTH CLOSINGS
Independence Day is Thursday. Because of the July Fourth holiday: • Post offices are closed, and there is no regular mail delivery. • Federal, state, county, city, local government and school district offices are closed. On Wednesday, Columbus City Schools summer school program closes early at 2 p.m. and district administrative offices at 4 p.m.
• The Columbus Parking Violations Bureau is closed and parking meters are free, but residential parking-permit zones and other restrictions will be enforced. Motorists are advised to read signs.
• There is no trash collection in Columbus on Independence Day. For residents assigned a trash color code, your collection schedule will rotate one weekday forward until the next holiday, Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 2. For those without a color code designation, if your collection day falls on Independence Day or after, your collection is delayed one day with Friday collection on Saturday. Rumpke biweekly recycling and yardwaste collection also is delayed by one day this week beginning Independence Day, with Friday’s collection on Saturday.
• All Ohio State University and Columbus State Community College campuses are closed. • All Columbus Metropolitan Library branches are closed from 6 p.m. Wednesday through Independence Day. • The Central Ohio Transit Authority will operate on a holiday service, or Sunday, schedule on Independence Day. Schedules/timetables for each line are available online at COTA. com. Cbus will operate from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and COTA’S Customer Service call center at 614-228-1776 is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on Independence Day. The authority’s Pass Sales Office at 33 N. High St. is closed. Communities around central Ohio are celebrating Independence Day with parades, fireworks and festivals. All events are Thursday, July 4, unless otherwise noted.
DELAWARE COUNTY Delaware: Parade, 3 p.m., begins at Delaware County Fairgrounds, east on Pennsylvania to Sandusky to Wilmer and ends at Selby Stadium on Henry; outdoor concert by the Central Ohio Symphony on Ohio Wesleyan University Campus, 7:30 p.m.; fireworks about 10 p.m. Sunbury: Parade, 10 a.m., begins at Big Walnut High School, north on Columbus Street, east on Route 37 and back to the school; festivities on the square, 7 a.m.-3 p.m., including activities for children starting at 11 a.m.; festivities at Big Walnut High School, 6-11 p.m., including a 7 p.m. outhouse race and fireworks at dusk.
FAIRFIELD COUNTY Lancaster: Parade, 10 a.m., from the Fairfield County Fairgrounds, south on Columbus to Main, east to Broad and north back to fairgrounds; food, rides, vendors, entertainment noon-10 p.m.; fireworks, 10 p.m. at fairgrounds. Pickerington: Parade, Thursday, 10 a.m., begins at Pickerington Central High on Opportunity Way, north on Lockville, west on Columbus and south on Hill; bounce houses and food at Victory Park around 11:30 a.m.
FRANKLIN COUNTY Bexley: Parade, 9:30 a.m., begins at Maryland and Remington and ends at Fair and Cassingham; John Barr 5K, 8 a.m., Jeffrey Mansion; Community Celebration, 6 p.m.; fireworks, 10 p.m., Capital University.
Clintonville: 4 on the 4th run, 8 a.m., Whetstone High School; breakfast, 8-11 a.m., and music, 6 p.m., Whetstone Park; fireworks, 10 p.m.
Columbus: Doo-dah Parade, 1 p.m., begins on Park, west on Buttles, south on Dennison, west on Collins, north on Neil, east on 2nd, south on High, ends at Russell and High.
Dublin: Parade, 11 a.m., from Frantz/metro Place North, north to Bridge, east to High, then south to Waterford; food, activities, and music including Michael Mcdonald and Chaka Khan, 4:30 p.m., Coffman High School; fireworks, 9:50 p.m.
Gahanna: Parade, 10:30 a.m., begins at Clark Hall, west on Granville, finishing at Royal Manor Plaza; Community Family Day, 5-9 p.m., Creekside Park and Plaza; fireworks, 10 p.m., Gahanna Municipal Golf Course.
Grove City: Music and activities, 5:30-10:30 p.m, and fireworks, dusk, Grove City High School.
Groveport: Parade,
11 a.m., Groveport Recreation Center to Glendening Elementary School and Middle School South; children’s activities, 1-5 p.m.; entertainment, 5-9:40 p.m.; fireworks, dusk, Groveport Main Stage on Wirt.
Hilliard: Parade, 9 a.m., starts at Franklin County Fairgrounds, southwest on Main, ends at Hilliard United Methodist Church on Scioto Darby; Freedom Fest, noon-11 p.m., and fireworks, 9:50 p.m., Roger A. Reynolds Municipal Park.
New Albany: Parade, 11 a.m., begins at Church of the Resurrection, east on Dublin-granville down Market to Main to High to Chatham Green; New Albany Evening Festival, 6:30 p.m., live music and food, New Albany High School; fireworks, dusk.
Northland: Parade, 11 a.m., starts on Karl near Morse, north to Karl near East Dublin-granville.
Reynoldsburg: Parade, 10 a.m., from Rosehill to Main to Haft, ending at Huber Park.
Upper Arlington: Parade, 9 a.m. from Northwest and Zollinger and ending at Northwest and North Star; Party in the Park, 5 p.m., Northam Park; fireworks, 10 p.m.
Westerville: Parade,
1 p.m., from St. Paul Catholic Church down State to Electric; Rotary 5k Run/walk, 8 a.m., Alum Creek Park North; Rotary Children’s Fun Run, 9:15 a.m.; live music and entertainment, 3-10 p.m., Westerville South High School; fireworks, dusk.
Whitehall: Parade, Thursday, 10 a.m., from Poth to Yearling to Etna.
Worthington: Worthington Family Picnic, 4 p.m., Thomas Worthington High School; fireworks, 10 p.m. LICKING COUNTY Granville: Parade, 10:45 a.m., on Broadway; street fair, Thursdaysaturday, downtown, with entertainment, rides, concessions; fireworks, Friday, 10 p.m., music at 8 p.m., Wildwood Park. Utica: Fireworks, 9:45 p.m.; celebration, food, bounce houses, 5 p.m., South End Park.
MADISON COUNTY London: Parade, 11 a.m., starts at Cowling Park, south to Main to First. Plain City: Parade, 3 p.m.; fireworks, 9:45 p.m., Pastime Park; other festivities at noon.
West Jefferson: Parade, 11 a.m., starts at Center and Pearl; fireworks, 10 p.m.; Streetfest, 5-10 p.m.
PICKAWAY COUNTY Ashville: Celebration; Grand Parade, 11 a.m.; fireworks, 10 p.m., Ashville Park.
UNION COUNTY Marysville: Parade, 10 a.m., beginning at American Legion Park, east on 5th to Plum, west on 6th, ending at Union County Courthouse; fireworks, dusk, Union County Fairgrounds.