Timothy Baptist revives feast and fireworks

Cathy Spaulding, Muskogee Phoenix, Okla.
·2 min read

Jun. 30—Timothy Baptist Church will bring back its big Independence Day eve feast and fireworks display this year.

Festivities begin at 7:30 p.m. Monday. It is one of several area events scheduled to celebrate July Fourth.

Pastor Kelly Payne said everything at the event will be free.

"That's why we started to have this event in the first place," he said. "We wanted every family in Muskogee to go without having to break the bank. We budget for it each year."

The celebration will feature free hamburgers and hot dogs, inflatables, face painting, games and will conclude with a fireworks display at dusk.

"We'll be starting to serve food at 7:30 p.m., having burgers and hot dogs, mac and cheese, water and cookies," Payne said. "We have lots of giveaways we have collected."

The music group Reversing Radio will perform before the fireworks display.

The display had been a major attraction for the western Muskogee church for 13 years until it was canceled in 2019.

Payne said a fireworks provider got hit in the eye with a firework in 2018. Massive flooding in 2019 also prompted that year's cancellation, according to Muskogee Phoenix stories at the time. Timothy spent money that would have gone to fireworks for flood relief.

Payne said the church has since found another person to do the fireworks display.

"We're real excited to be able to serve the community again with this event," he said, adding that the 2018 event probably attracted 2,500 to 3,000 people.

Muskogee First Assembly of God will host its annual Celebrate Freedom festival at 5 p.m. Tuesday. It will be a show for youngsters, face painting, and inflatables. Fireworks will go off after sundown.

In Wagoner, people can show patriotism with their bicycles, motorbikes, wagons, even pets, during the Independence Day Parade, 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Maple Park Pavilion. Prizes will be given for first through third place in the following divisions: Ages 0-4, 5-9 and 10 and older, as well as pets and family entries.

A water balloon fight will follow the parade.

Wagoner Waterpark will offer free swimming noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday.

The city's Fantastic Fourth fireworks display begins around 9:40 p.m. at Wagoner High School's W.L. Odom field.

Due to construction, the football stadium bleachers will not be available for seating.

The town of Fort Gibson will host a fireworks display at nightfall near the football stadium. Parking is available around the baseball/softball complex as well the Early Learning Center and South Campus buildings.