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February 13, 2025

The City of Highland Park (City) and the Park District of Highland Park (Park District) announce plans for community events during the Independence Day holiday. New this year, Independence Day festivities will begin on July 3 with the Park District’s  festival for all ages. The City’s “Dream Team”-themed parade, which includes entertainment coordinated by the Park District, will bring vibrant community spirit to Downtown Highland Park when it steps off at 11:00 AM on July 4. Cognizant of the importance of dedicating time for reflection and support, the City will also coordinate a remembrance in the morning. 

“Highland Park’s Independence Day events reflect the community’s patriotic spirit and steadfast commitment to supporting and celebrating each other,” said Mayor Nancy Rotering. “This year’s parade theme reminds us that teams bring people together in support of a common goal, and that we are most resilient when we support each other.”

“Celebrating this national holiday with our loved ones is crucial to our community’s identity,” said Cal Bernstein, president of the Park District of Highland Park Board of Commissioners. “It is an opportunity to come together to share special moments with our neighbors and friends while we celebrate our nation.”

A drone or fireworks show is not being organized by the City in 2025. Recognizing the diverse array of community needs to balance, particularly as it pertains to community trauma, sustainability concerns, and pet needs, at this time, the City Council supported a pause on evening events for further community discussion. The City will request community engagement and feedback later this year as City staff plan for 2026.

As Independence Day events have evolved over the past two years, the City and Park District have applied a trauma-informed approach with guidance from the Department of Justice Office of Victims of Crime and community-based mental health clinicians. The approach reflects a commitment to building community resiliency in reclaiming Highland Park’s Independence Day traditions while continuing to provide compassionate support.

The slate of Independence Day events includes the following:

The Park District of Highland Park will commence Independence Day activities with a community festival on Thursday, July 3, at Highland Park’s largest outdoor community park – The Preserve of Highland Park (1207 Park Ave. W). This year’s reimagined celebration will be the kick-off to a variety of inclusive Independence Day-themed activities continuing July 4^th and throughout the weekend. The July 3 festival will be a great opportunity for everyone to gather, celebrate and enjoy an evening with family, friends, dinner, music, games, and various attractions. Food trucks will be available on-site. Further details will be available soon on the Park District website: pdhp.org.

The City will host a remembrance in the morning of July 4, 2025 to honor the memories of the people whose lives were taken and share solidarity with those who were injured or traumatized. Further details will be shared when available.

The temporary memorial, located in the Rose Garden adjacent to City Hall (1707 St. Johns Avenue), will continue to be open to the public. Visitors who may be concerned about re-traumatization from patriotic décor, floats, etc. related to the parade itself may wish to avoid visiting the memorial on July 4 between 10 AM – 2 PM as parade staging is anticipated to begin at 10:30 AM.

What’s your dream team? This year’s parade theme is a celebration of all that brings us together. Whether that’s family or friends, sports, dance, faith, community or neighborhood, tap into team spirit as Highland Park’s community-focused parade returns to Downtown Highland Park! The parade will follow the same route as 2024, beginning at First St. & Laurel Ave. and progressing through Downtown Highland Park to Sunset Woods Park. Parade participants and attendees are encouraged to wear team jerseys and apparel, and floats will celebrate the colors and mascots of favorite teams and organizations. Parade participation sign-ups will begin on Monday, March 3, 2025. Information will be available at cityhpil.com/independenceday when available.

Please note that there will not be a City or Park District-sponsored evening event on Independence Day.

Information regarding Independence Day activities will be shared by both the City and Park District as planning continues. Updates from the City are available at cityhpil.com, and updates from the Park District are available at pdhp.org. Individuals are welcome to share their feedback via email to the City at cityhp@cityhpil.com.