Greenville offering parade, music, watermelon, ice cream and fireworks for “Happy Birthday USA!”

Today is the 247th birthday of the United States of America, and the City of Greenville will be decked out in red, white and blue with parades, music, food and fireworks to celebrate.

• The Park Street Fourth of July Parade starts at 10 a.m. at the east end of Park Street and proceeds west to the Kavanaugh United Methodist Church. The Park Street Historical Association is inviting visitors to bring chairs to sit along the sidewalks. No firearms or fireworks will be allowed during the parade, and parade organizers discourage throwing candy from floats for safety and litter reasons. Spectators are encouraged to honor the flag during the parade by standing, removing hats and paying respect. Visitors to the event are also asked to clean up after themselves.

The 2023 parade Grand Marshals will be sisters Patricia DeVeny, a Park Street resident for almost 50 years, and Sue Ann Harting, former mayor of Greenville.

Additional information is available at www.parkstreetgreenville.org, or by calling Claire Coggins, the parade chairperson at 214-727-7375.

• If you’re hungry before the parade, the Park St. Baptist Church is hosting a free pancake breakfast starting at 7:30 a.m.today. Donations are appreciated.

• The city of Greenville Parks & Recreation is hosting the annual Firecracker 5K Run, which will start on Park Street at 8 a.m. Medals and trophies will be awarded and the first 100 runners to register will receive a free T-shirt. Additional information is available at www.greenvilletx.fun or or by calling 457-2994.

• Immediately after the parade, Kavanaugh United Methodist Church hosts a patriotic program followed by complimentary watermelon.

• This evening the Parks & Recreation Department is presenting the annual Bottle Rocket Bash at the Greenville SportsPark, featuring the area’s largest fireworks show, live music by the Big Daddy Band, food trucks, a Kid Zone and more. First-come-first-serve parking is available as well as limited reserved parking. Additional information is available at greenvilletx.fun or by calling 903-457-2994.

• Adriana Estates, 373 FM 1903, Greenville, is hosting a Fourth of July Fireworks, Fun and Fundraiser event, starting at 5 p.m. Jtoday. Donations will be accepted but are not required for entry. All money raised will go toward wheelchair ramps and handicap accessible equipment. The event is expected to include a fireworks extravaganza, live music by Brandon Bamburg, a petting zoo and pony rides, a bounce house and obstacle course, face painting, cornhole, outdoor games, snow cones and Italian ice and more. It is $50 per person to reserve the best third floor rooftop deck seats to the firework show and every other show in the area that you can enjoy from up there, with only 25 rooftop deck seats available. Additional information is available at www.facebook.com/adrianaestatestx

• Ridgecrest Baptist Church, 6801 Wesley Street in Greenville, is hosting a Party on the Plaza starting at 8 p.m. The church is offering free scoops of Blue Bell ice cream and those attending are asked to bring their own chair to watch the City of Greenville fireworks from the nearby SportsPark.

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