Lexington, here’s your guide to everything Fourth of July

Lexington residents can expect pie, fireworks and festivities during the annual two-day Fourth of July celebration, hosted by Downtown Lexington Partnership.

Laura Beth O’Bryan, marketing and development director for Downtown Lexington Partnership, said the main change this year is the new fireworks location.

After last year’s fireworks shot off from the top of the Big Blue building downtown, the city experienced backlash over the launch site of the fireworks. People said on social media the show was “embarrassing” and “the worst firework shows ever.”

In May, Mayor Linda Gorton announced the fireworks location will return to the R.J. Corman Railyard, the launch site in 2015 and previous years.

To accommodate the festivities, some downtown roads will be closed at various times and drivers should expect delays traveling through the area.

Here is the schedule of all events hosted downtown for the Fourth of July:

Wednesday, July 3

• Great American Pie Contest and Ice Cream Social at Fifth Third Bank Pavilion. Free. Begins at 12:00 p.m. Pie contestants must register beforehand and present pies by 10 a.m. The city advises there will be heavy sidewalk blocks during the event.

• Patriotic Music Concert featuring the Kentucky National Guard’s 202nd U.S. Army Band, Lexington Singers and various soloists including Gregory Turay. The concert will be at 8 p.m. on Morrison Lawn, Transylvania University. Free. Roads impacted by the concert include Third Street and Second Street between Broadway and Upper Street, Mechanic Street between Upper and Market Street, Mill Street between Third Street and Second Street and Market Street between Second and Third Street from 6 to 11 p.m.

Thursday, July 4

• The 43rd annual Bluegrass 10,000 Footrace in downtown Lexington at 7:30 a.m. The 10K route begins on Main Street and extends out Richmond Road.

• A Downtown Street Festival which includes arts and crafts vendors, entertainment and concessions. The entire festival will be from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Entertainment sites will be located at lower Courthouse Plaza, Phoenix Park, the corner of Short and Upper streets and Fifth Third Bank Pavilion. Expect road closures on Short Street between N Mill Street and Martin Luther King Blvd.
• A reading of the Declaration of Independence at 11 a.m. at Main Street at the Lexington Financial Center.
• An Independence Day parade on Main Street from Midland to Mill Street, starting at 2 p.m. Expect road closures starting at 1 p.m. from Midland down Main Street to N Mill Street.
• Fireworks will be launched from the R.J. Corman Railyard off Main Street and Oliver Lewis Way at 10 p.m.

Main Street between Broadway and Jefferson will be closed for the primary firework viewing space, according to the release. Viewers are not recommended to watch from inside Triangle Park or the Fifth Third Bank Pavilion because buildings will block the view of fireworks.