HdG Fourth of July Celebration Changes Carnival Venue, Adds Concert

HAVRE DE GRACE, MD — This week the city council reportedly threw its unanimous support behind a proposal from the Havre de Grace Independence Day Commission to reorganize and relocate some of its events, the most dramatic of which was the rethinking of the carnival.

The carnival will shift venues for the Fourth of July festivities in 2017, the first year that the events will be designed to draw visitors downtown rather than toward Tydings Park.

Rather than being held in conjunction with the parade and fireworks show, the carnival would take place from Monday, July 3, to Friday, July 7, and be held in Hutchins Park.

"This change in venue is due out of concerns for safety of the citizens and guests; recent funding granted to beautifying Tydings Park; and the worry of creating more wear and tear on the already bare areas of grass," Havre de Grace Independence Day Commission Carnival Chair Keri Kateley wrote in a letter to the city administration.

At the 2016 carnival, two juveniles were arrested for a "scuffle" at the carnival, which drew pedestrian and vehicular traffic to Tydings Park that flooded the neighborhoods, according to The Aegis. The paper reported that the council on Tuesday voted all in favor of the change in venue.

In addition to the usual lineup of patriotic activities, the commission will put on a concert this year. The Amish Outlaws will perform downtown on Sunday, July 2, between the daytime parade and evening fireworks show.

Sunday, July 2

• Parade: 2 to 4:30 p.m. on Union Avenue
• Concert: 5 to 7:30 p.m. on Washington Street at Pennington Avenue
• Fireworks: 9:30 p.m. from barge east of Concord Point in Susquehanna River

Road closures would be similar to First Friday, with Saint John and Washington streets closed to allow for vendors to set up and pedestrians to have the run of the downtown. Concord Street was also on the list of requested closures.Monday, July 3: Carnival from noon to 10 p.m.

Tuesday, July 4: Carnival from noon to 10 p.m. at Hutchins Park

Wednesday, July 5: Carnival from 5 to 10 p.m. at Hutchins Park

Thursday, July 6: Carnival from 5 to 10 p.m. at Hutchins Park

Friday, July 7: Carnival from 5 to 10 p.m. at Hutchins Park

The council, administration and Independence Day Commission will hold a work session to discuss the approved festivities at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 31, in City Council Chambers, 711 Pennington Avenue.