Fourth of July fun in Coralville, Cedar Rapids

It’s almost time to blow out the candles for the nation’s birthday party — a birthday party that began in Cedar Rapids on Flag Day, June 14, and winds up Tuesday with a bang. Thousands of them, in fact.

In Coralville, the holiday party began Saturday and features a bang-up lineup Monday, followed by fireworks Tuesday.

Both parties also are marking milestones, with the 40th anniversary of the Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival and Coralville’s yearlong sesquicentennial celebration.

  Buy Photo

Coralville

Coralville’s festivities ramp up at 11 a.m. Monday with a treasure hunt at the Aquatic Center and a history display at City Hall. Then everything moves to S.T. Morrison Park, with food vendors, a carnival contests and vendor booths, leading up to the free outdoor concert that typically draws thousands of spectators toting blankets and chairs.

The local Beaker Brothers Band hits the stage at 6:30 p.m., playing homage to the jam bands of the ’60s and ’70s. Voices of Classic Rock follows at 8 p.m., a supergroup featuring former singers from Asia, Boston, Chicago and Santana.

On Tuesday, the fun continues in the park area, with a pancake breakfast from 7 to 10 a.m. at the Coralville Recreation Center. Cost is $8 for adults, $5 for ages 5 to 10 and free for ages 4 and under.

The 4thFest parade winds through town beginning at 10 a.m., then at noon, the action heads back to S.T. Morrison Park with the carnival, food vendors, games, entertainment, the reading of the Declaration of Independence at 8:15 p.m., an Iowa City Community Band concert at 8:30 p.m., leading up to the fireworks at 9:45 p.m.

Cedar Rapids

The Freedom Festival finale kicks off with the Corridor Running Fifth Season Races, beginning at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday with an 8K race from Greene Square to Bever Park and back. The event also offers a 5K walk/run, a kids’ fun run and a youth mile run. Register at https://corridorrunning.com/fifth-seasonraces.

If you’re running on empty, head over to the pancake breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. inside the ImOn Ice Arena, 1100 Rockford Rd. SW. Cost is $10, or $5 with a Freedom Festival button. The Vintage Jammers will dish up Dixieland, blues and jazz. It’s just a short jaunt next door to the Classic Car Show from 8 a.m. to noon in the Lower Kingston parking lot, 907 15th St. SW.

Other holiday activities include the Five Seasons Ski Team shows from 7 to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday on the Cedar River at Ellis Park. The Cedar Rapids Municipal Band concert will be at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Guthridge Park, 704 Emmons St., Hiawatha. The band also plays at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Cedar Hall parking lot at Kirkwood Community College and on Sunday, July 9, at the Grande Avenue entrance at Bever Park.

Downtown is the place to be for the Freedom Festival fireworks Tuesday night. Seating opens at 5 p.m. for prime seating on the Third Avenue Bridge and the McGrath Amphitheatre. Kids activities and food vendors will be nearby. Admission is $10 or free with a Freedom Festival button; kids 5 and under don’t need a button.

  Buy Photo

Two hot local bands will rock out the amphitheater stage, beginning with the horn-fueled Brass Transit Authority at 5:30 p.m., followed by Vibe, playing “classic songs re-imagined.”

Then hold onto your hats as you gaze skyward for the fireworks finale, exploding over the river with sight, sound and recorded music piped into the seating area.

And what would a birthday party be without some unexpected aspects?

“We've got some surprises in store for people that are downtown,” Karol Shepherd, the festival’s executive director, told The Gazette in a late May interview. “We're really, really excited. We're pulling out the stops for our audience.”

Comments: (319) 368-8508; diana.nollen@thegazette.com