HUNTSVILLE | Thousands of people are expected to descend on the downtown area here Saturday evening, as the Town of Huntsville and its fire department presents the annual Firemen’s Fourth festival.
While it is the evening of July 4 that will draw the biggest crowd, the events will actually begin on Friday, July 3, with gospel music at the gazebo stage in the center of the historic courthouse mall.
Saturday’s events will begin with Huntsville Fire Department’s annual all-you-can-eat fundraiser pancake breakfast at 6 a.m., the New River Run at 7 a.m., and vendors and entertainment throughout the day. As is always the case in an election year, many of the political candidates in the upcoming August election will be stumping on the mall during the day on Saturday.
The annual Independence Day parade will step off from just east of Huntsville Elementary School at about 7 p.m. Saturday evening, following its traditional route along Baker Highway to the mall, where it will enter on Court Street and circle the mall before exiting onto Baker Highway heading west. For all intent and purpose, the parade route ends at White Rock Baptist Church on the west side of the downtown area, although many entries will continue west to Huntsville City Park before disbanding.
Huntsville firefighters will present the region’s largest fireworks display at 10 p.m. Saturday evening. The fireworks will be launched from Jack N. Diggs Field at Huntsville Middle School and will be visible throughout the downtown area and beyond.
The New River Run is a 5K and 10K, with both walkers and runners invited to participate. There is a $25 entry fee for the run, and race day registration begins at 6 a.m.
With the exception of the pancake breakfast and the New River Run, and items sold independently by vendors, the Firemen’s Fourth is a free event. Huntsville firefighters will man donation roadblocks on each end of town throughout the event.
A Heat Advisory is in effect throughout the day Friday, and festival goers should plan accordingly. The weather forecast is for hot and mostly sunny weather, with a 20% chance of afternoon thunderstorms.
