Here are the details for Madison’s July 4th Extravaganza and Fireworks show
MADISON – With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, several celebrations have been canceled over the past few months and into this summer. One of those has been the usual Fourth of July festivities in many areas of the nation, but that is not the case in Madison.
Madison Mayor Paul Finley announced at last week’s city council meeting the city’s annual 4th of July celebration will continue but would be moved to Toyota Field this year.
Toyota Field is the new $46 million stadium in the Town Madison development and is home to the Rocket City Trash Pandas baseball team.
The move does come with some significant changes. Instead of an all-day event on July 4th, it will be a two-night celebration starting Friday, July 3, with a block party and culminating with a patriotic extravaganza and fireworks show on July 4 hosted by the Rocket City Trash Pandas.
The July 3 block party will feature live entertainment, food and fireworks. The gates will open at 5 p.m. Full-season ticket holders will gain early entry at 4:30 p.m.
For the July 4th extravaganza, Trash Pandas spokesperson Josh Caray said the event will allow patrons to have on-field access to enjoy live entertainment and partake in multiple activities for kids and adults. A bungee jump trampoline, swing rides and food and beverage options will be available for purchase. He also said they plan to have the biggest fireworks display in the Metro.
Gates open at 4 p.m. for the general public and 3:30 p.m. for full-season ticket holders.
Another big change is the celebration is no longer free. Admission to each night’s event is $10. Kids two and under enter for free. Parking is free on July 3 but will cost $6 per car on July 4.
The annual celebration had been held at Dublin Park along Old Madison Pike. It was expanded over the past ten years to include a day-long festival in addition to the fireworks display.
“The success we had holding it at Dublin Park, with a full day worth of activities, is hindered by our ability to get folks in and out of there safely considering the amount of people that come to it,” Finley said. “There is not enough parking at Dublin.”
In the past, the city had worked with the Madison City Schools District to use Bob Jones High School for parking and shuttle people to and from Dublin Park with school buses. “We are unable to use this system right now at the level we want to because of the COVID-19 situation,” Finley explained.
“We are still going to have the same type of celebration,” he added. “There is a big parking lot at the stadium, and we will have the ability for more people to enjoy it. We will still have the same wonderful fireworks show.”
In addition, the Rocket City Trash Pandas plan to host another block party on Friday, June 19, with live entertainment and fireworks to cap off the event. Admission is $10 with free parking.
Tickets for the events went on sale online Friday at www.TrashPandasBaseball.com/events.
“There nothing like fireworks blasting off in the summer surrounded by friends and family,” said Trash Pandas President & CEO Ralph Nelson. “We can’t wait to deliver our slice of Americana to this great region with our summer lineup that will knock it out of the park!”
In accordance with CDC guidelines, the facility will operate at half-capacity. Fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets in advance.
The trio of events are added to a slate of activities the Trash Pandas organization has produced since the latest amendments to the state’s Safer at Home Order. Session #2 of the Trash Pandas Day Camp concluded last week. The first “On-Field Movie Night” was held Friday night. Trash Pandas Instructional Baseball Camp began Session #1 on Monday.
Registration details to these events, and more, are available online at TrashPandasBaseball.com/events, in-person at the Toyota Field Ticket Office, or by phone at (256) 325-1403 ext. 1.
