Cape Parks and Rec to host annual Great American Fourth of July

Cape Girardeau will celebrate Independence Day with the annual Great American Fourth of July celebration held at Arena Park.

Festivities will kick off with a performance by the Cape Girardeau Municipal Band at 7:30 p.m., followed by The Spirit of America Award presentation before the night ends with a fireworks display.

The Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department and local partners have hosted the Great American Fourth of July since 2012, parks and recreation director Julia Jones said. The event costs the city less than $20,000 overall, she said, with around $17,000 of that budgeted for the fireworks display.

The Spirit of America Award will be presented to the award recipient by Southeast Missourian assistant publisher Lucas Presson at 8:30 p.m., Jones said. The announcement will be followed by patriotic music, taps and a moment of silence. River Radio will then lead the event as fireworks begin at 9 p.m.

Jones said she estimates several thousand people will attend the July 4 event, based on previous years’ attendance. Social distancing and mask use will be encouraged, she said, with hand sanitizer stations placed throughout the park. Anyone who feels sick is asked to stay home from the event.

Limited seating, according to 6-foot distancing guidelines between households, will be available in the grandstands. Individuals may also watch the fireworks display from their cars or lawn chairs.

This year’s celebration may gain even more support as community members look toward more summer events as businesses reopen, Jones said.

“As we move forward with reopening our country, something like the Great American Fourth of July is just what we need to soothe us during the hot summer months,” she said. All city parks and playgrounds are now open for use as the City of Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation enters Phase 1A of its reopening plan.

The City of Cape Girardeau is joined by partners Southeast Missourian and River Radio to host the event, with Shivelbines and rustmedia listed as contributors on the celebration website. More information and updates are available at www.cityofcapegirardeau.org/departments/parks.