Park City celebrates America’s 250th with conventional Fourth of July enjoyable

Park City’s Fourth of July celebration is an ongoing custom that goes huge however retains a small-town really feel. This 12 months, it is going to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

“We have a full day of activations and celebrates, and to add to that, we worked with the local America250 Utah celebration committee,” mentioned Chris Phinney, Park City Municipal’s particular occasions supervisor. “Everything else is such a big traditional celebration that we sprinkled in some America250 nods throughout. We’re putting up some streetlight banners that will have America250 logo, and we’ll add some America250 images to our drone shows at the end.”

Per custom, the city’s July 4 festivities begin at 8 a.m. on Saturday with a 5K enjoyable run in assist of Park City Ski & Snowboard, Phinney mentioned.

“That takes place over at Park City Mountain, and it starts over at First Time/Silver King parking lots,” Phinney mentioned. “You check in, and it’s a mile-and-a-half out and a mile-and-a-half back.”

The day pauses at 9 a.m. for the Rodney Schreurs Fallen Officer Memorial, which honors Schreurs, who was killed by an intoxicated driver on July 4, 1984, whereas directing site visitors following a fireworks show. 

The ceremony, which takes place on the Rodney W. Schreurs Centennial Park, 600 Main St., will embrace a program by the Fraternal Order of Police and the Park City Police Department.

“This is a huge opportunity for us to celebrate the fallen officer with public-safety staff officers who will sing the National Anthem and other songs,” he mentioned.

One of the day’s highlights is the Fourth of July Parade that begins at 11 a.m., following a ten:45 a.m. flyover.

“The parade route runs from the Brew Pub lot on top of Main Street all the way down past Town Lift on 9th Street and then right onto Park Avenue until the intersection at Deer Valley Drive by Jans and Cole Sport,” Phinney mentioned. “We’ll have somewhere between 60 to 70 floats when it’s all said and done.”

Park City Municipal recruits parade contributors by an utility, in accordance with Pinney.

“We try to maintain that small-town feel by making sure those who are accepted are local, either local businesses or local residents,” he mentioned. “But we do a pretty good job vetting the entries, and all of them are from Summit County and the Wasatch Back.”

One of the larger challenges is to permit parade contributors to distribute sweet and different objects in a secure method, Phinney mentioned. 

The Park Record will take part and provides out copies of a particular commemorative newspaper, The Paradian, to these sitting alongside the route. Just a few copies could have golden tickets with household enjoyable prizes. 

“There are so many people, floats and (other vehicles) in the parade, and that does make it difficult to keep track of anyone who is walking or running in between the floats,” Phinney mentioned.

Park City will shut Main Street at 6 a.m. to organize for the parade and Swede Alley will shut at 7 a.m. to all site visitors, besides for individuals who will take part within the parade, Phinney mentioned.

“We’ll also open the bus lane on Deer Valley Drive at 7 a.m.,” he mentioned. “Park City Municipal really values our free transit system, and we want to make that the first and foremost choice for people to get to the parade.”

The public can park at Park City High School, Richardson Flat or any of the ski resorts and take free buses and shuttles to the transit middle, situated on the backside of Swede Alley, and other people may stroll or journey their bicycles in and park at varied bike valet stations. 

“If you end up driving, there will be a $30 flat rate to park at the China Bridge garage from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.,” Phinney mentioned. “Then it will be free from 1 p.m. to midnight.”

Once the parade wraps, the general public is invited to stroll over to City Par round 12:30 p.m., the place an array of family-friendly video games and meals vehicles begin their shifts. A standard exercise is Park City’s rugby event, which can return although City Park has been beneath renovation.

“The activities in the park run until 5 p.m.,” he mentioned. “After that, it’s a good time for a nap or to get something to eat before the drone show at 10 p.m.”

The drone present, which Park City adopted years in the past resulting from wildfire considerations, is made potential by a contract town has with an organization known as Skyworx, in accordance with Phinney.

“The show will take off around 10 p.m. from the base of Park City Mountain resort by First Time chair lift, and it’s about a 10 minute show,” he mentioned. “We’ll have somewhere around 20 to 25 images that we go through, including ones that are popular with Park City, the skiers, golfers and mountain bikers. And then we have some patriotic ones and some America250 images as well.”

The Fourth of July celebration, particularly this 12 months’s, is a good alternative for Park City to rejoice the United States, Phinney mentioned.

“If you look into America250 websites, they encourage different things,” he defined. “You can volunteer. You can connect and have block parties and barbecues with your neighbors. So, it’s about getting people together to talk and tell stories.”

Stories of the previous are essential to Park City as a result of the city has morphed all through the a long time.

“Storytelling is there where you can talk about what Park City is to you and take some pride in things you remember,” he mentioned. “Park City is known as a town that is known for being friendly, touristy and having a lot of activities. So, even if you’re not an official volunteer, one way to volunteer is to be hospitable to those who are coming in for the event.”

Phinney grew up in Boston, which all the time has a giant Fourth of July celebration.

“I have fond memories of going and watching the fireworks, but since I’ve been in Park City, the Fourth of July has definitely become my favorite day of the year,” he mentioned. “You get to see a lot of friends and locals, and everyone’s usually in a good mood. The weather is usually nice and I like a parade.”

Park City’s 2026 Fourth of July Schedule

• 8 a.m. — 5k Fun Run in assist of Park City Ski & Snowboard
• 9 a.m. — Rodney Schreurs Fallen Officer Memorial, 660 Main St.
• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — Annual Park City Friends of the Library Book Sale
• 10:45 a.m. — Flyover on Main Street
• 11 a.m. — Park City Fourth of July Parade, Main St.
• 12:30 p.m. — Food vehicles, rugby, dwell music, and children and household video games, City Park
• 10 p.m – Drone Show at Park City Mountain

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