Here's what to expect from Coralville's four days of 4thFest, including Night Ranger and fireworks

Paris Barraza, Iowa City Press-Citizen
·4 min read

It’s 4th of July all weekend long in Coralville with the return of the city’s annual 4thFest.

Th Independence Day celebration kicks off Friday with a carnival and concludes with multiple events on July 4, including a parade and fireworks show.

Here’s what you can expect for this year’s 4thFest.

Parade, fireworks and carnivals: Four days of 4th of July fun

The festivities kick off with a carnival Friday, operated by Next Generation Shows Inc., an Iowa-based family-owned carnival company. The carnival will be available to the community through Monday, located at the Coralville Community Aquatic Center parking lot. Tickets for rides can be purchased in advance through Friday at Coralville City Hall and the Coralville Recreation Center, or purchased the day of.

Saturday morning, the city will host a 5k walk and run and a kids’ mini-marathon. The 4thFest 5k begins at 8 a.m. The route starts near the Coralville Recreation Center, passes Interstate 80, nears the Coral Ridge Mall and ends in the recreation center’s parking lot. People can register the same day starting at 7 a.m. for $40. At 9 a.m., children ages 6 and younger can take part in the 4thFest Firecracker Kids Mini-Marathon, which is about 26 yards.  An hour later, the Stars and Stripes Youth Cross Park Race will begin at S.T. Morrison Park.

S.T. Morrison Park, located at 1513 Seventh St., will host food vendors from noon to 9 p.m. Sunday. Participating food vendors include American Concessions, Kona Ice, La Mexicana Grocery Store & Taqueria, Papa John’s, Rodney’s Jamaican Jerk, Sno Biz of Iowa City, Taco Express and Which-Uh-Waffle.

The park will host two free outdoor concerts at 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. First to take the stage is FunkDaddies. The Midwestern band, inspired by Earth, Wind & Fire and Motown artists, is a funk, soul and R&B six-piece group. Following FunkDaddies is the hard rock band Night Ranger, whose song “Sister Christian” was ranked 32 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Songs of the 1980s.

4thFest’s annual parade returns Monday at 10 a.m. The two-mile route begins at the intersection of Ninth Street and 22nd Avenue; travels east on Ninth Street and Eighth Street; south on 14th Avenue; east on Seventh Street; south on 12th Avenue; west on Fifth Street; north on 20th Avenue; west on Eighth Street.

A girl blows bubbles as thousands enjoy the 4thFest parade on Independence Day, Sunday, July 4, 2021, in Coralville, Iowa.
A girl blows bubbles as thousands enjoy the 4thFest parade on Independence Day, Sunday, July 4, 2021, in Coralville, Iowa.

This year’s parade theme celebrates the historic Coralville Strip, or what is now Highway 6 that goes through Coralville.

Last year, thousands flocked to the parade, which featured Coralville fire trucks, Herky the Hawk and dozens of floats.

4thFest-goers can enjoy the same food vendors Monday from noon to 9 p.m. They’ll also be able to catch five performances in the park from 1-7 p.m.

Ambition Baton Twirling, an Iowa City baton and dance studio, will kick of the afternoon shows, followed by a performance from City Circle Acting Co. and three musical performances with Burley & The Backstabbers, Electric Fringe and the Iowa City band the Soft and Low.

At 8:30 p.m., the Iowa City Community Band will perform a free concert. After, the four days of 4thFest culminates with a firework show at 9:45 p.m.

People are invited to bring blankets and lawn chairs to enjoy the evening display.

Full schedule of events for Coralville's 4thFest

People line up in front of a carnival game during 4thFest, Saturday, July 3, 2021, at S.T. Morrison Park in Coralville, Iowa.
People line up in front of a carnival game during 4thFest, Saturday, July 3, 2021, at S.T. Morrison Park in Coralville, Iowa.

Friday:

  • Carnival: 5 p.m. to dark in the Coralville Community Aquatic Center parking lot

Saturday:

  • 4thFest 5k Walk/Run: 8 a.m. at the Coralville Recreation Center

  • Kids Firecracker Kids’ Mini-Marathon: 8:45 a.m. at the Coralville Recreation Center

  • Stars & Stripes Youth Cross Park Race: 10 a.m. at S.T. Morrison Park

  • Carnival: 5 p.m. to dark in the Coralville Community Aquatic Center parking lot

Sunday:

  • Food vendors: noon to 9 p.m. at S.T. Morrison Park

  • Carnival: Noon to dark in the Coralville Community Aquatic Center parking lot

  • American Legion Bingo: 3-6 p.m. at S.T. Morrison Park at the Hilltop Shelter

  • Free outdoor concert featuring FunkDaddies: 6:30 p.m. at S.T. Morrison Park

  • Free outdoor concert featuring Night Ranger: 8 p.m. at S.T. Morrison Park

Monday:

  • Corridor Kiwanis 4thFest Pancake Breakfast: 7-10 a.m. at Northwest Junior High School

  • 4thFest Parade: 10 a.m.

  • Carnival: Noon to dark in the Coralville Community Aquatic Center parking lot

  • Food vendors: noon to 9 p.m. at S.T. Morrison Park

  • Performances in the park: 1-7 p.m. at S.T. Morrison Park at the showcase stage

  • American Legion Bingo: 3-6 p.m. at S.T. Morrison Park at the Hilltop Shelter

  • Lawn games: 3-7 p.m. at S.T. Morrison Park

  • Free concert featuring the Iowa City Community Band: 8:30 p.m. at S.T. Morrison Park at the showcase stage

  • Fireworks: 9:45 p.m. at S.T. Morrison Park

Paris Barraza covers entertainment, lifestyle and arts at the Iowa City Press-Citizen. Reach her at PBarraza@press-citizen.com or (319) 519-9731. Follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: What to do during Coralville's 4thFest, with parade, fireworks, music