Explore West Plains is inviting the community to celebrate Independence Day with an old-fashioned Fourth of July event honoring the 250th anniversary of the United States.
The free, family-friendly celebration will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday on the Missouri State University-West Plains campus.
Centered around the Smith-London Bell Tower area, the festivities will feature patriotic music, children's activities, food trucks and a non-motorized "Walk & Roll" Parade designed to encourage participation by people of all ages and abilities.
The celebration kicks off at 10:15 a.m. with a welcome from Mayor Mike Topliff, followed by a community patriotic sing-along and a performance by the Ozark AcousChicks Women’s A Cappella Chorus.
The Walk & Roll Parade will begin at 11:30 a.m., with lineup starting at 11 a.m. on Franklin Avenue near Broadway. Pre-registration is not required. The purposefully short and accessible route will travel west on Cass Street, south on Pennsylvania Avenue and west on Webster Street before continuing on Franklin Avenue to disband where it began.
Organizers encourage participants to embrace the spirit of a traditional small-town celebration with handmade decorations and patriotic or America 250 themes. Decorated bicycles, wagons, tricycles, scooters, strollers, wheelchairs, pull carts and walking groups are all welcome. Families, churches, civic organizations, veterans groups, scout troops, sports teams and individuals are invited to join.
To maintain a family-friendly atmosphere, parade entries must be non-political, agenda-free and appropriate for all ages. Motorized vehicles, including cars, trucks, motorcycles, ATVs and golf carts, are prohibited, though mobility devices used for accessibility are permitted.
Children should be supervised by an adult, and pets must remain leashed and under control. Participants are asked to hand out treats rather than throw candy, and no other handouts, fireworks or unsafe props are allowed.
"We want this to feel like a classic small-town Fourth of July celebration," event organizers said in a news release. "Simple, creative, patriotic and centered around community participation."
During the celebration, organizers will also announce the prize winners of the Walk 250 community walking challenge. Participants must have recorded at least 250 miles and need to turn in their mileage logs to the Ozark Heritage Welcome Center by Thursday to qualify for the prize drawing. The welcome center is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and will be closed Friday, July 3. It is located at 2999 Porter Wagoner Blvd. in West Plains.
Official America 250 merchandise is available for purchase at the welcome center or the Explore West Plains satellite booth inside Downtown Vendors & Arts in the historic Aid Hardware Building at 1 Court Square.
Food and refreshments will be available at the event from Ree Creations, Alpine Shaved Ice & Lemonade and the Craft Café cotton candy stand.
For more information or parade details, visit the "America 250 – West Plains" Facebook event page, follow Explore West Plains on social media or email tourism@westplains.gov.
