One year after the City of Lubbock and Civic Lubbock Inc. stepped in to manage and help fund the annual 4th on Broadway community celebration after the closure of Broadway Festivals Inc., Civic Lubbock is preparing for this year’s festival.
Now in its 36th year, the event will be Saturday, July 4 and feature traditional events including an Independence Day parade, daytime activities, live music and a fireworks show.
Although Civic Lubbock will remain the fiscal agent, the group has hired Stage Left Productions LLC to produce the entirety of the event.
Stage Left is owned and operated by Katie Sandifer, who was executive director of Broadway Festivals Inc. and worked under the tutelage of event founder Don Caldwell.
She co-produced the celebration with Caldwell for four years before his passing in May 2024 and helped facilitate its transition last year.
Stage Left will be responsible for all aspects, including the parade, Picnic Under the Stars, evening concert and fireworks.
Lindley Herring, president of CLI, said it’s important to continue to honor the legacy of the free, family-friendly tradition Don Caldwell and Broadway Festivals started and carried out for 34 years.
“For me, personally, and on behalf of Civic Lubbock, Inc., this staple event is a treasure and one our community deeply values,” Herring said. “As president of Civic Lubbock, Inc. this year, we’re committed to ensure this event remains successful and fun for many years to come.”
The 2026 event will be held at the South Plains Fairgrounds. Because substantial rain brought conditions too wet to hold events in MacKenzie Park last year, the 2025 organizers moved the event to the fairgrounds at Avenue A and Broadway.
Sandifer said she is thrilled with the opportunity to continue the event the community has come to expect.
“This labor of love has become a huge part of my life over the last six years,” Sandifer said. “I am honored to help continue the event and keep Don’s legacy alive. This is also the country’s 250th anniversary, so we are working to add even more fun and family-friendly events for the community to enjoy! Keep an eye out for those announcements soon.”
Applications for vendors, parade entries and volunteers are now open through Civil Lubbock’s website.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: 4th on Broadway, city of Lubbock preparing for changes in 2026
Reporting by Special for the Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
