Southern Illinois 4th of July Fireworks Line-Up

Fireworks displays are being trimmed down by stricter Illinois state licensing requirements. On top of that, the price of fireworks from Japanese and Chinese suppliers is soaring. But fireworks displays are still planned and people are still looking forward to pyrotechnics on the Fourth of July as many communities, big and small, celebrate Independence Day.

Jun 29-30, Jul 1. DuQuoin Freedom Fest at Keyes City Park. Craft fair, food, beer and wine tent, music, kids games. Saturday concert in the park. Sunday fireworks on at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds.

Jun 30-Jul 1. Rend Lake Dam and Visitor's Center. Specialty food vendors, entertainment. Fireworks July 1 at 9:30 p.m. Parking $5 per car. Near Benton.

Jul 1-4. Steelville City Park and Legion Hall. Evenings after 6pm through Jul 3: Carnival, food, entertainment, antique car show, craft fair baseball games. All day on the 4th of July with Firecracker 3000 run at 9:45 am, parade at 10 am, fireworks 10 p.m. Steelville.

Jul 3. Alton. Visitors gather at the Alton riverfront as part of the Mississippi River Fireworks Festival which includes entertainment, food, and a beer tent. Grounds open at 5pm. Fireworks are set for 9pm.

Jul 3. Annual Before the 4th Street Party. Evansville.

Jul 4. Liberty Bell of the West Patriotic Celebration. On July 4, 1778, the Kaskaskia Bell was rung by George Rogers Clark after his Long Knives seized Kaskaskia from the British. Although there are no fireworks, a mid-day Independence Day celebration is held every July 4th at the Kaskaskia Bell State Historic Site on Kaskaskia Island featuring speeches, music, and French Marine reenacters. Kaskaskia.

Jul 4. St Louis. The Fair Saint Louis/Celebrate St. Louis Fourth of July event is a daylong activity that draws hundreds of thousands to the Gateway Arch and the riverfront. Free Jul 4 entertainment includes concerts by Joss Stone and Drake Bell. Also performing that day are entertainers who include Mad Science, Muny Teens, St Louis Rams Cheerleaders, Show Me Drum Line, and Fanfare. The 131st Veiled Prophet Parade is that morning at 10am. There's a magnificent fireworks display at about 9:15 pm Jul 4, and every Fri and Sat through August 2d. There's a website at celebratestlouis.org/site/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1.

Jul 4. Grafton hosts Fireworks on the Waterfront with live entertainment and games provided for children. The fireworks themselves are shot off at dusk.

Jul 4. Granite City's Annual Festival and Fireworks runs Jun 29 to Jul 4. The festival includes carnival rides, concerts, entertainment, food, carriage rides, with July 4th fireworks at 9:15 pm at Coolidge Middle School grounds. Sponsored by the city park district.

Jul 4. Fireworks on Jul 4 at Fairview Park, capping off 4th of July Carnival and Fireworks, June 29 to Jul 4. Centralia.

Jul 4. 4th of July Celebration. Farina Park. Farina.

Jul 4. Fireworks at dusk. City Park. Anna.

Jul 4. Fireworks at dusk. Children's games, karaoke. Cannon Park. Carterville.

Jul 4. 4th of July Fireworks Celebration sponsored by the Nashville Lions Club. Fireworks display is at 9pm at the Memorial Park ponds in Nashville.

Jul 4. Murphysboro 4th Celebration at Riverside Park. Live entertainment. Largest fireworks display in Southern Illinois. At dusk. Murphysboro.

Jul 4. Fourth of July Blast. Bryan Memorial Park. Salem.

Jul 4. At Abe Martin baseball field, Southern Illinois University campus at 9pm. Carbondale.

Jul 4. Salute to Freedom at Mt Vernon Outland Airport. Grounds open 5pm. Entertainment, vendors. Fireworks at dusk. Mt Vernon.

Jul 4. Fireworks at Patriots Park. Greenville.

Jul 4. Mascoutah Old Fashioned July 4th Celebration. Activities begin at noon at Scheve Park. Carnival rides, tennis and kickball tournaments, kids games, and more. Fireworks at 9:30pm. Mascoutah.

Jul 4. Troy July 4th Celebration. At Tri-Township Park, fireworks at dusk. Sponsored by the city. Troy.

Jul 5. Fireworks. Vandalia.

Anna 4th Celebration at the Fairgrounds

For more about things to see and do in Illinois go to my Gather group Illinois Road Trip at http://illinoisroadtrip.gather.com/

You can also keep on activities in the region by consulting my website, Southern Illinois Road Trip at http://home.midwest.net/~howes/southernillinoisroadtrip/