July 4 Activities

The Kirksville Area Chamber of Commerce has been working with area businesses and organizations to put together an amazing celebration of our nation’s birthday. There will be events for several days, all only a short distance from home! Be sure to bring your lawn chairs and blankets, family and friends and enjoy the celebrations!

The ALL AMERICAN RED, WHITE, AND BLUE FESTIVAL in Kirksville will begin on Thursday, July 3rd from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. with the Cemetery Theater at the Forrest-Lewellyn Cemetery and the cost is $5 per person. This year you will meet Dr. Andrew Taylor & Mary Still; Rose Brenning Rieger; Col. Thomas C. Harris; Harvey H. Dockery; John & Bethea Aitken; and Union & Confederate Soldiers. The Cemetery Theater will also be in operation on Saturday, July 5th from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Friday, July 4th there will be plenty of activities around town. From 12 noon – 2 p.m. the Kirksville Aquatics Center will host the annual Splash Bash. There will be a general admission fee to the pool and then there will be free hotdogs and games. At 4:00, there will be a Parade and float contest in Downtown Kirksville, rain or shine. Parade entry forms can be found at the Chamber office or online at www.kirksvillechamber.com . Beginning at 5:00 p.m. the Chamber of Commerce will host a BBQ for $7 on the southwest corner of the square and the Chamber will also serve Apple Pie & Ice Cream for $2. There will be a “Meet & Greet” with the August Primary Election candidates from 5 – 7 p.m. under the canopies on Washington Street. The Kirksville Community Band will hold a free concert on the Courthouse lawn from 5 – 6 p.m. At 5:30 p.m. judging will begin for the All American Apple Pie Contest and at 6 p.m. the Pie Auction will begin. At 5:30 p.m. the All American Essay Contest winners will read their essays and at 7 p.m. the Aaron Russell Band will perform as part of the Kirksville Arts Association Summer on the Square concert series.

On July 4th the free Community Fireworks Display will be held at dusk near the Kirksville Country Club. There is plenty of public parking at the Kirksville RIII Schools parking lots, YMCA parking lot, NRMC Health & Fitness Center, former shoe factory, and the Tractor Supply/JCP/Stage parking lots.

The fun continues early on Saturday, July 5th with the Kiwanis Farmers Market. The Joint Service Clubs will be sponsoring a Red, White and Blue Pancake Breakfast from 7 – 11 a.m. for $5. Serving will be in the Cinema parking lot. A classic car show will be in the north parking lot of the Adair County Courthouse from 8:30 – 11:30 a.m. Beginning at noon there will be a charity Softball Tournament at North Park Ball Complex. The entry fee is $100.00 per team. At 7:00 p.m. a Celebrity Softball Game will begin between the Kirksville Police Department and Adair County Sheriff’s Department against the Kirksville Fire Department. There will be a DJ, music and fun at the Softball Tournament from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Entry forms for the Softball Tournament can be found at the Chamber office or online at www. Kirksvillechamber.com. From 3 p.m. – 8 p.m. there will be lots of inflatable games (Bounce House, Bungee Run, Velcro Wall, and more) at North Park at a price of $1 per game.

The weekend events in Kirksville will continue on Sunday, July 6th at 3 p.m. at the Rotary Park (swimming pool park) Amphitheater. Area churches will have tables/tents for a meet and greet and some may even have items for sale or give away. The Chamber of Commerce will be selling “Sundaes on Sunday” from 4 – 6:30 p.m. and there will be a free Community Band Concert from 4:30 – 5:30 pm. There will be a Patriotic Community Church Service at the Rotary Park Amphitheater at 6 p.m. with a special patriotic chorale performance of “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson” accompanied by the Kirksville Community Band. All Veterans are encouraged to attend and sign up at the information booth to be recognized at this service.

For more information on any of the All American Red White and Blue Festival activities, contact the Kirksville Area Chamber of Commerce at 660-665-3766 or visit their website at www.kirksvillechamber.com. Proceeds from these events benefit the Fireworks and the Festival.