Hillsdale has a rich tradition of celebrating the Fourth of July with parades, fireworks and old-fashioned family fun.
This year’s SFC William H. Butler Great American Celebration — updated to honor Butler, a decorated combat veteran and deputy, who was killed in the line of duty in June 2024 during a traffic stop in Jefferson Township — will return to the Hillsdale County Fairgrounds on July 3, organized by the Leighr A. Wright American Legion Post #53.
The event comes without the regular bounce houses, but with the addition of a nearby craft show. The Hillsdale American Legion, Hillsdale Business Association and Hillsdale Township Firefighters Association are planning a fundraiser later this year to purchase bounce houses and other children’s entertainment items for the event’s centennial celebration in July 2026.
Hillsdale’s Fourth of July Parade will begin at 6 p.m. July 3. Those interested in participating this year should register at cityofhillsdale.org.
Other local events include:
Fireworks at the Park in Somerset
Fireworks are planned at McCourtie Park in Somerset on July 5, with family-fun activities beginning at 3 p.m. — including a bounce house, scavenger hunt, lawn games and animal encounters. Food trucks will be present throughout the day with live music by The Act III Band beginning at 6 p.m.
Lake Diane Fireworks
The Lake Diane Community Association will shoot fireworks over the lake on July 5, with a rain date of July 6. The event is held annually with contributions from neighbors and open to the public. Many residents watch the show from pontoons.
— Contact reporter Corey Murray at cmurray@hillsdale.net or follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @cmurrayhdn.
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Hillsdale communities planning fireworks for Fourth of July. Here’s where
Reporting by Corey J. Murray, Hillsdale Daily News / Hillsdale Daily News
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