Air show, fireworks and parades: How Calhoun County is celebrating Fourth of July

The skies over Calhoun County will be dotted with colorful hot air balloons, aircraft and fireworks this week in celebration of Independence Day.

Battle Creek's signature summer festival returns to Battle Creek Executive Airport at Kellogg Field with the Field of Flight, the nation's largest combined air show and balloon festival.

"The event itself is a huge undertaking, with well over 2,000 volunteers every year," said Battle Creek Field of Flight Media Director Bretten Bailey. "As a 501c4, we're about promoting good will. We want to provide an event that the community can look forward to and this is an event known throughout the world and is a big hit with families."

Here is a guide to celebrating Fourth of July in Calhoun County:

Battle Creek

• Field of Flight Air Show and Balloon Festival: Gates open 4 p.m. Thursday, with $10 parking per vehicle and free admission. There will be food vendors and more than 20 rides and games through Skerbeck Entertainment Group. Meijer is sponsoring a "Kids Day" beginning at 5:30 p.m. with free crafts and two bike giveaways. Pending weather, there will be a balloon launch and fly-in each day at 7 p.m., with the "balloon illume" scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday. The Great Lakes Timber Show will conduct the first of its daily 6 p.m. shows, featuring ax throwing, chainsaw carving and log rolling. There will be live music each day of the event at 7 p.m.

On Friday, gates open at 2:30 p.m. with $5 parking and admission $13 per person  (children 3 feet and under are free). From 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., there will be an air show warmup featuring demonstration teams of F-35 Lightning IIs, the F-35Cs and F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets (as seen in the blockbuster film "Top Gun: Maverick"). The twilight air show begins at 8:30 p.m., followed by a night show with pyrotechnics at 10 p.m.

Runners and walkers will line up at 7 a.m. Saturday for the Cereal City Half Marathon and 5K run through the festival grounds and airport. Gates open at 9:30 a.m. and the air show runs from noon to 5:30 p.m., celebrating the 75th anniversary of the U.S. Air Force by featuring Thunderbirds, as well as F-35A Lightning IIs, Super Hornets and F-35Cs, and civilian performers. Fireworks are scheduled for 10:30 p.m.

Festival grounds open at 9:30 a.m. Sunday and Monday, with air shows at noon and fireworks at 10:30 p.m.

For more information, visit fieldofflight.com or call 269-962-0592.

• Fireworks ordinances: Fireworks are permitted on private property between 11 a.m. and 11:45 p.m. from June 29 through July 4. Violations can be reported by calling 911, and can result in a $1,000 fine.

• Goguac Lake Boat Parade: The annual Goguac Lake boat parade returns, launching in front of the former Pache's Lakeside Restaurant at 6 p.m. The Calhoun County Sherriff's Office will lead the parade, with dozens of boats vying for "most creative," "most patriotic" and "best party boat."

Albion

• Fireworks at Dusk: The Greater Albion Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau is presenting the traditional fireworks at dusk on the banks of the Kalamazoo River at Barnes Park Sunday. The fireworks display is made possible through nearly $15,000 in donations from the community.

“The outpouring of support during this year’s fundraising campaign truly shows the spirit of Albion,” Chamber President Billy Beers said in release.

The Air National Guard Band of the Midwest will perform a free concert at 6 p.m. Sunday as part of the "Swinging at The Shell" free summer concert series.

• Red, White and Blue Cruise-In & Car Show: The Albion Downtown Development Authority is sponsoring a cruise-in and car show "on the bricks" from 4 to 9 p.m. Thursday. Registration is free and begins at 4 p.m., with a collector's dash plaque to the first 100 participants. There will also be a 50/50 drawing and live music featuring the sounds of the 1950s and 1960s.

For more information, visit facebook.com/carshowsalbion.

Marshall

• Pet, Bike & Wagon Parade: Oaklawn Hospital in Marshall is once again sponsoring the traditional pet, bike and wagon parade, in which hundreds of children, family members and pets parade around the Brooks Fountain with colorfully decorated bicycles and other vehicles. Children 3 to 12 are encouraged to create costumes and decorations celebrating Independence Day. All cyclists riding in the parade are required to wear a helmet, and Oaklawn is making helmets available for $5 for those who don't bring them.

Lineup for the parade begins at 9:40 a.m. Monday. There is no fee to participate, but registration is required through oaklawnhospital.org/parade-registration. Late registration will only be accepted the day of the event from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the Crary Condominiums building, near the National House Inn.

At 11 a.m., a lunch featuring barbecued chicken, hotdogs and ice cream will get under way, sponsored by the Marshall Area Economic Development Alliance, along with a performance by the Marshall Rotary Community Band.

• Cruise at the Fountain: Marshall's annual car show begins at 9 a.m. Saturday with registration, vendors and a craft show at the Calhoun County Fairgrounds, 720 Fair St. Gate admission is $5 (children 10 and under enter free), with proceeds benefitting fairgrounds programming. Vehicles will line up at 6 p.m. with a cruse through downtown Marshall beginning at 6:30 p.m.

For more information, visit cruisemarshall.com.

Contact reporter Nick Buckley at nbuckley@battlecreekenquirer.com or 269-966-0652. Follow him on Twitter:@NickJBuckley

This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: How Calhoun County is celebrating Fourth of July