The red, white and blue glare of fireworks bursting in air will light up the night sky during celebrations of the Fourth of July all across Richland County.
Starting on Thursday, July 3, the weekend’s festivities kick off with the Mike Martin Memorial Car Show at the Ontario Fourth of July Festival. On Friday, the festival officially opens at noon on the Ontario High School/Middle School campus and is filled with fun activities like egg runs, frog jumps and a variety of eating contests. The festival parade will begin at 4:15 p.m. starting at Milligan Road, and the night ends with a dazzling fireworks display starting at 10:05 p.m. located behind the Middle School, sponsored by the City of Ontario and the Fourth of July Festival Committee.
Also kicking off the holiday weekend is the Ashland Balloonfest beginning at 4 p.m. on Thursday, July 3. An amazing spectrum of colors will be on display as the giant hot air balloons tower over the crowd of spectators before rising and soaring away. Activities include balloon races, stage performances, sports tournaments, displays and exhibits. The festival concludes with the iconic Balloon Glow to light up the night.
The Fourth of July begins with the Liberty Day Festival in Bellville starting at 11 a.m. on Main Street. The parade, sponsored by the Sons of the American Legion, will start on Main Street before winding around to Bell Street and finally Church Street. Parade-goers will see some familiar faces on the parade floats, including the Bellville Board of Education.
The city of Shelby will be staying cool on the fourth with an ice cream social from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Veteran’s Park.
Two fireworks displays will light up the night on Saturday, July 5 in Loudonville and at Charles Mill Lake Park. As part of the park’s Red, White and Blue Fest, fireworks at Charles Mill are set to start at dusk. Fireworks in Loudonville will also shoot off at dusk for 30 minutes in Riverside Park downtown. Loudonville’s fireworks are viewed easily from downtown and traffic is not usually as heavy.
The last fireworks display for the Fourth of July season will end with Shelby Bicycle Days on Saturday, July 12. Spectators can huddle under the colorful explosions starting at 9:30 p.m. at Skiles Field. The show is presented in part by OhioHealth MedCentral Shelby Hospital
Whether taking in a spectacular fireworks show, visiting a festival or enjoying a cool treat, Richland County residents can find lots of family fun on the Fourth of July.
