4th of July in Bexley
Independence Day is a special day every year in Bexley. Alumni, friends, and extended family travel to Bexley, year after year, to reconnect with the community. The streets are filled with laugher and smiles, and the evening ends with an amazing fireworks display and community celebration on Capital University's Main Street lawn!
A Bexley favorite! We kick off Independence Day with the annual John Barr 5k, followed by the infamous parade, community celebration on Main Street, and a mesmerizing display of fireworks. You won't want to miss this one!
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4th of July Overview
The City of Bexley is excited to announce that all traditional Independence Day celebrations are taking place on Sunday, July 4th! Celebrations will include the John Barr 5k, parade, evening celebrations, and fireworks. The City has worked with public health experts and Franklin County Public Health to ensure our plans will keep residents, guests, and volunteers as safe as possible. The City encourages all participants to follow CDC guidelines this 4th of July, depending on whether or not they are fully vaccinated.
John Barr 5k Run/Walk
Starts at 8:00 am
The John Barr 5k, presented by Bexley Automotive, is a run that is routed through Bexley, commencing from and returning to Jeffrey Mansion at 165 N. Parkview Avenue. The race begins at 8:00 am sharp, which will leave plenty of time after the race to watch or participate in the parade. A link to register for the 5k will be available soon – stay tuned!
Parade
Starts at 9:30 am
We are excited to bring this community favorite back in 2021! The parade will start at 9:30 am, and will follow a modified parade route to better allow social distancing. The expanded route will go farther south to Astor Avenue, turning onto Euclaire Avenue, which is a high traffic area on the parade route. To view the expanded route, please click here.
If your organization is interested in participating in the parade this year, please register by clicking here. Parade participants who are not fully vaccinated are asked to wear a mask for the duration of the parade, even if participants will be walking. More information about parade safety and COVID-19 guidelines will be provided to the contact person for each parade entry.
Evening Celebrations & Fireworks
Tickets Required
From 6:00 - 11:00 pm
To ensure safe spacing for the evening celebrations and fireworks, we are using a ticketing system for this years' event. Tickets are free, and residency in Bexley is not required to register. We have 7,500 tickets available for the evening celebrations and fireworks, and guests can register starting today, June 11th at 5:00 pm. Ticket registration will be open leading up to the event as long as there are tickets remaining. In order to ensure that you can participate, please register for your ticket(s) as soon as possible. Entry will not be permitted without a ticket, and minors must be registered by a parent or guardian.
Frequently Asked Questions
We have 7,500 tickets available to reserve. Once they are gone, they are gone. Entry will not be permitted without a ticket. This number of tickets ensures safety among all participants, volunteers, and vendors.
If tickets are still available, then yes! Tickets can be reserved at any time leading up to July 4th, even right before the fireworks start.
Please do! Residency in Bexley is not required to reserve a ticket.
Groups of 10 or less can reserve group tickets. If your group is larger than 10 people, we ask that each person reserves an individual ticket.
Tickets are free!
Unvaccinated guests are asked to wear a mask while walking around, socializing, or standing in line. Masks will not be required when sitting down. We encourage all residents to follow CDC guidance at all of the 4th of July activities, even if an individual is fully vaccinated.
The parade route was temporarily expanded this year to better accommodate social distancing. The route will go one block farther south to Astor Avenue, turning right (north) onto Euclaire Avenue. This location is traditionally a high traffic area on the parade route.
To be equitable to all religious groups in our community, Bexley City Council voted and approved to celebrate the 4th of July on the day it falls on.