CANTON − The city will celebrate America’s 250th birthday in style.
The event will be July 2 at the McKinley National Memorial, 800 McKinley Monument Drive NW, next to the McKinley Presidential Library & Museum.
The Monumental Fireworks event starts at 4 p.m. and features the Canton Symphony Orchestra. Food trucks, family-friendly activities and a stilt walker also will be part of the celebration.
“We’re going to go all out,” Mayor William V. Sherer II said. “And it’s going to be a great time for the families.
“We are doubling the amount of fireworks we normally do for July Fourth. And it’s due to a lot of sponsors, and we’re going to have a lot of things for the kids.”
What time are the music and fireworks?
Jimmy and the Soul Blazers will perform at 6 p.m., followed by EN-RICH-MENT’s youth drumline. Fireworks are scheduled for 9:40 p.m. and will be synched to music simulcast by Canton-based FM radio station Mix 94.1.
Weather permitting, the local symphony will perform 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the McKinley Monument for the first time in more than 20 years. Patriotic favorites and recognizable movie music will be played.
“It’s a huge honor for us being able to share a live orchestra with a live audience,” said Nathan Maslyk, development manager at Canton Symphony Orchestra. “It’s an opportunity to perform and an opportunity to spread awareness of our organization, and it’s an opportunity to celebrate.”
The local symphony first performed at the McKinley Monument around July Fourth in the 1960s, he said.
Songs will include The Star-Spangled Banner and pieces by American composers.
“We’re all Americans and music is the great unifier,” Maslyk said. “We’re there to celebrate our community and our country and performing music that reflects that.”
The celebration will conclude with roughly $40,000 worth of fireworks, according to the mayor’s office. City funding and donations paid for the fireworks. Donations also made the symphony possible, Sherer said.
“We are honored to host this monumental occasion as part of the America’s 250 celebration,” the mayor said in a news release. “This event will bring our community together to celebrate this great nation and create lasting memories for our families. We are grateful to the businesses, sponsors and community partners whose support makes this celebration possible.”
Street closures, and where do you park?
The following streets will be closed to traffic 2 to 11 p.m. July 2 for the Monumental Fireworks:
These streets also will be closed to traffic 5 to 11 p.m. July 2:
Limited accessible parking will be available on the McKinley Monument grounds. The designated rideshare drop-off location is Waterworks Park. All rideshare drivers must enter Waterworks from Tuscarawas Street W via Washington Boulevard. Golf carts will be available to drive guests to the event.
Parking also will be available on surrounding streets.
Reach Ed at ebalint@gannett.com. Follow on Instagram at ed_balint and TikTok @edwardbalint.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: ‘Going all out.’ Canton marking America 250 with fireworks, symphony
Reporting by Ed Balint, Canton Repository / The Repository
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By Ed Balint, Canton Repository | USA TODAY Network
