HdG Hunts for Carnival Operator for July 4 Festivities

HAVRE DE GRACE, MD — The search is on for a company that can put together this year's Havre de Grace Fourth of July carnival.

The carnival company that has been the go-to for Havre de Grace is getting out of the game so the owner can retire, according to The Aegis. As a result, the city is without a carnival company for July's event since Sherwood Amusements, a business based out of Joppa that has put together the rides for the festivities, will not be participating and the week of July 4 has other operators booked.

Read the full story from The Aegis about the city's Tuesday work session regarding Fourth of July plans.

The carnival was slated to shift venues for the Fourth of July festivities in 2017, the first year that the events were planned to draw visitors downtown rather than toward Tydings Park.

Putting the spotlight on the city's downtown was a factor but not the only reason for the location change. Safety and crowd control were also a consideration.

Unwieldy crowds resulted in the arrest of two juveniles for fighting and the inability of first responders to get their ambulance to someone in cardiac arrest, forcing medics to get out of their vehicle and run at last year's carnival in Tydings Park, according to The Aegis.

The 2017 carnival was uncoupled in the schedule from the parade and fireworks show to make the events more manageable under the leadership of this year's Havre de Grace Independence Day Commission.

The plan was for the carnival to take place in Hutchins Park from Monday, July 3, to Friday, July 7. However, the carnival's future is now contingent upon finding a carnival company to put it together.

In addition to the usual lineup of patriotic activities, the Havre de Grace Independence Day Commission will host a concert this year. The Amish Outlaws will perform downtown on Sunday, July 2, between the daytime parade and evening fireworks show.

Schedule for Parade, Concert and Fireworks on Sunday, July 2, 2017:

• Parade: 2 to 4:30 p.m. on Union Avenue; theme is reportedly Hometown Heroes
• 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

Related: HdG Fourth of July Celebration Changes Carnival Venue, Adds Concert

File photo.