Jefferson County residents have an array of choices for Independence Day entertainment. Some events are scheduled for one day only, but others promise several days of fun.
To start things off
■ The city of Arnold will hold a “Red, White & Blue” celebration on Saturday, July 1. Festivities begin at 4 p.m. at Arnold City Park, on Bradley Beach Road, off Jeffco Boulevard. The evening will include food, crafts, and an inflatable obstacle course for children. Live music provided by the Vote for Pedro band is sponsored by SSM St. Clare Health Center. Fireworks, sponsored by Anheuser-Busch Inbev, will begin at 9:15 p.m.
■ Big River VFW Post 5331 and its auxiliaries will hold a barbecue and fireworks display on Saturday, July 1, on the post grounds, 1 Lynne Lane, in Cedar Hill. The event starts at 11 a.m. with live music, karaoke, barbecue and fireworks at dusk.
■ Washington State Park, 10 miles south of De Soto on Hwy. 21, will kick off the July 4 weekend with its Family Fun Fest. The festival will begin Friday, June 30, and includes a variety of events over the next three days.
Activities start at 6:30 p.m. Friday with a watermelon seed-spitting contest and campers can begin decorating their campsites for the patriotic campsite contest. On Saturday and Sunday, the public is invited to go on a guided walk to the park’s Native American petroglyphs, join in a patriotic sidewalk chalk contest and hear a presentation on the park’s history.
Monday’s activities feature a wildflower walk, a tour of the petroglyphs, a volleyball game and interpretive program in the campground amphitheater.
The fun continues
■ “Celebrate America,” will be held Sunday, July 2, at First Baptist Church of Arnold, 2012 Missouri State Road. the day includes a car show, carnival rides, games, food vendors, bounce houses, a BMX and motorcycle stunt show and a 20-minute fireworks finale at dusk. Activities start at 6:30 p.m. and will end around 9:30 p.m. There is no admission charge and food will be available for purchase. Parking is available at the Arnold Recreation Center, 1695 Missouri State Road, with a shuttle provided by the church to get to the event.
■ In Valles Mines, the Lost History Museum, 14116 Valles Mines School Road, off Hwy. 67 south of Festus and De Soto, will hold an Independence Day celebration on Monday, July 3. The festivities start at 2 p.m. and include barbecue, hayrides, a museum open house and fireworks in the evening.
■ St. Pius X High School, 1030 St. Pius Drive, in Crystal City is holding its first-ever fireworks celebration on Monday, July 3. The event will include a Randy Russell original fireworks display set to music. There will be food trucks from the Sweet Devine, Low and Slow, and Kona Ice. Hot dogs and concessions will also be available in the parking lot as well as live music from the band, Exit 180.
The cost is $10 per car and gates open at 6:30 p.m.
The St. Pius X Alumni Association will be selling 50/50 raffle tickets and glow sticks.
Proceeds from the event will go to the Alumni Association.
On July 4
■ In De Soto, the Tuesday celebration begins with a Fourth of July Parade sponsored by the De Soto Chamber of Commerce.
This year’s theme is “All-Star Salute” and floats, equestrian entries and walking units will line up at Wease Distributing, 1000 N. Main Street, at 8:30 a.m. The parade begins at 10 a.m. and will travel south on Main Street and continue west on St. Louis Street.
■ The De Soto Lions Club will continue the fun at De Soto High School, 815 Amvets Drive, with the annual Fourth of July Fireworks Festival. The festival will have craft booths and vendors, bounce houses, Lions train rides, raffles and a 50/50 drawing.
The Lions Club will have barbeque, funnel cakes, snow cones, cotton candy and cold drinks for sale. Proceeds will go toward next year’s fireworks show.
The celebration will extend into the evening with the Ivan Gibson Memorial Water Fight, at 5 p.m., organized by De Soto Rural Fire Protection District.
At 7:30 p.m., the festival will recognize veterans, and at 9:10 p.m. the national anthem will be sun. Fireworks will begin at 9:15 p.m.
■ In Imperial, the Meramec Arnold Elks, 1515 Miller Road, will hold July 4 barbecue on Tuesday evening. Live music will begin at 5 p.m. and the lodge will sell grilled hamburgers, brats and hot dogs. Fireworks begin at 9 p.m.
■ The city of Eureka is sponsoring an Old-fashioned July 4th Celebration on Tuesday at Lions Park, 340 Bald Hill Road, Eureka.
The event, dedicated to military veterans, will start at 7 p.m. and end at 10:30 p.m. Admission is free and concessions will be available for purchase. There will be a kids’ area with crafts and games and live music performed by the band, Hollywood 5. A fireworks display will begin at dusk.
■ In Crystal City, VFW Post 3777, 900 VFW Drive, will hold a Henry Golden Boy Rifle drawing at 4 p.m. Tuesday. The post will also have free hot dogs and juke box music until 6 p.m.
■ In Hillsboro, a group of local businesses and organizations will put on the city’s annual Fourth of July celebration. The free event will be held Tuesday night on the Jefferson County Fairgrounds, 10349 Business 21.
Gates will open at 6 p.m. and fireworks will begin at dusk. Activities include pony rides, face-painting, concessions and parachute toss at 8 p.m. in STL Diesel Arena.
Brats, hot dogs, chips, soda and watermelon will be available for purchase. Kona will be selling shaved ice and packaged ice cream. Spectators are invited to bring their coolers, lawn chairs, picnic blankets, but no pets.
The day after
■ The Jefferson County Family YMCA, 1303 YMCA Drive, Festus, day campers will hold a flag retirement ceremony at 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 5. Veterans are encouraged to attend.
The campers will retire three flags donated by Fred Weber Inc. Flags will be buried with respect and reverence, as one would bury an American soldier. If anyone would like to volunteer to play taps to conclude the ceremony, contact Myrna Fairchild, 636-931-9622, by July 1.