Celebrate America 250: Independence Day Events Planned Across the WEIS Coverage Area

As communities across Northeast Alabama and Northwest Georgia prepare to celebrate Independence Day, families will have no shortage of opportunities to enjoy fireworks, live music, parades, festivals, drone shows, and patriotic celebrations throughout the WEIS coverage area.

This year’s celebrations carry added significance as communities begin recognizing America 250, the upcoming 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Across Cherokee, DeKalb, Etowah, Calhoun, Marshall, Floyd, and surrounding counties, residents and visitors will gather to celebrate the freedoms and traditions that have united Americans for nearly two and a half centuries.

Cherokee County

Cherokee County will once again be one of the most active areas in the region for Independence Day celebrations, with events taking place throughout the holiday week as part of local America 250 observances.

The annual 411 Drive-In Fireworks Celebration will take place on July 3, providing families with an opportunity to enjoy fireworks and holiday festivities at one of the area’s most recognizable landmarks.

Also on July 3, the popular Bay Springs Marina Fireworks Show will return to Weiss Lake, drawing boaters and spectators from across Northeast Alabama and Northwest Georgia for one of the region’s premier waterfront fireworks displays.

The Little River Marina Fireworks Celebration is also scheduled for July 3, giving lake residents and visitors another opportunity to enjoy fireworks over Weiss Lake.

From July 2 through July 5, Indian Mountain ATV Park will host Independence Day activities and celebrations for campers, riders, and visitors throughout the holiday weekend.

On July 4, the Town of Cedar Bluff’s Liberty Day Celebration returns with community activities, patriotic events, and family-friendly entertainment as residents gather to celebrate Independence Day.

The county will also host the 22nd Annual Beans and Greens Fireworks Show in the Ballplay community, a longtime local tradition that continues to attract families from Cherokee County and surrounding areas each year.

With celebrations taking place on land, on the lake, and throughout communities across the county, Cherokee County residents and visitors will have numerous opportunities to celebrate Independence Day and America’s approaching 250th birthday.

DeKalb County

DeKalb County’s annual Fort Payne Independence Celebration returns to the Fort Payne Sports Complex with live entertainment, family activities, concessions, and a fireworks display.

Additional Independence Day programs and family activities will be held throughout the holiday weekend at DeSoto State Park, offering visitors another opportunity to celebrate while enjoying one of Northeast Alabama’s most scenic destinations.

Etowah County

Etowah County will host several major holiday events, including one of the region’s fastest-growing Independence Day traditions.

Rainbow City’s 4th Annual Freedom Flight Drone Show at the Rainbow City Mega SportsPlex will feature live entertainment beginning at 4 p.m., food vendors, family activities, and two separate drone shows. The event is part of Rainbow City’s America 250 celebration and will include a Sponsor Drone Flight at 8:20 p.m. followed by the featured Patriotic Drone Show at 9:15 p.m.

WEIS FM 100.5 will provide live coverage from the event beginning at 6:30 p.m. and will serve as the official audio soundtrack for both drone performances, allowing listeners throughout the region to experience the full show.

Also in Etowah County,

Gadsden Freedom Fest – July 3 & 4

The City of Gadsden, Downtown Gadsden, and community partners are launching the inaugural Freedom Fest – Gadsden’s 250th Celebration, a two-day event tied to the America 250 celebration. The festival will feature Gadsden’s first-ever Hot Air Balloon Festival, including tethered balloon rides, balloon glow events, live music, food vendors, family activities, and fireworks.

Activities are scheduled for both July 3 and July 4, with hot air balloon rides taking place at Moragne Park and special balloon glow events planned as part of the celebration. Organizers are also incorporating First Friday festivities in downtown Gadsden into the holiday weekend activities.

The festival will culminate with the annual Gadsden-Etowah Patriots fireworks show over the Coosa River on July 4, which organizers are promoting as part of a weekend-long celebration of America’s upcoming 250th birthday.

The Big Wills Independence Day Celebration on July 5 will continue the festivities with food vendors, live music, family activities, and fireworks.

Calhoun County

Calhoun County residents will also have several opportunities to celebrate the holiday.

The City of Jacksonville’s Fourth of July Celebration is expected to once again feature family activities, live entertainment, and fireworks, drawing visitors from throughout eastern Alabama.

In Oxford, residents can enjoy holiday festivities and fireworks displays that have become a popular annual tradition for families throughout the county.

A Fourth of July Picnic is scheduled for July 4 at Life Tabernacle on McClellan Boulevard in Anniston, featuring music, food, fireworks, and family activities.

Communities throughout Anniston, Oxford, Jacksonville, and surrounding areas will host patriotic events, community gatherings, and Independence Day celebrations during the holiday week.

Marshall County

Marshall County will once again be home to one of North Alabama’s premier Independence Day celebrations.

The annual Fireworks Over Lake Guntersville celebration is scheduled for July 4 and will feature a free concert at Civitan Park before the fireworks begin over Lake Guntersville at approximately 9 p.m. The event has become one of the largest Fourth of July celebrations in North Alabama and attracts visitors from throughout the Tennessee Valley and Northeast Alabama.

Communities across Guntersville, Albertville, Boaz, and Arab are also expected to host local holiday activities and community events throughout the Independence Day week, continuing Marshall County’s strong tradition of patriotic celebrations.

Floyd County, Georgia

Across the state line, Floyd County residents will celebrate with several community events.

Rome’s annual Independence Day Fireworks Extravaganza at Ridge Ferry Park will feature food trucks, family activities, entertainment, and a large fireworks display presented by Atrium Health Floyd and Rome-Floyd Parks and Recreation.

The community of Cave Spring will also host its traditional Independence Day Parade, providing another opportunity for families to gather and celebrate the holiday.

Whether you’re spending the holiday on Weiss Lake, attending a community festival in Cherokee County, enjoying fireworks in Fort Payne, experiencing the Freedom Flight Drone Show in Rainbow City, celebrating along the Coosa River in Gadsden, attending festivities in Calhoun County, watching fireworks over Lake Guntersville, or gathering with family and friends in Rome and Floyd County, Independence Day offers an opportunity to reflect on our nation’s history and the freedoms that continue to define America.

As our nation approaches the historic America 250 celebration, this Independence Day serves as a reminder of the sacrifices, freedoms, and opportunities that have shaped the United States for nearly 250 years. Communities throughout our region continue to honor that legacy through events that bring neighbors, families, and visitors together in celebration.

While WEIS has worked to compile one of the most comprehensive Independence Day event guides in Northeast Alabama and Northwest Georgia, additional events may be planned throughout the region. If your community, church, civic organization, municipality, business, neighborhood, marina, campground, lake association, or civic group is hosting a Fourth of July event that is not listed, please contact WEIS Radio so we can add it to our coverage and help spread the word.

From all of us at WEIS Radio, we wish you and your family a safe, enjoyable, and memorable Independence Day holiday. Have fun, celebrate responsibly, and enjoy this special time with family and friends as we look ahead to America’s 250th birthday.

Happy Fourth of July from your friends at WEIS Radio.