Celebration Of Independence Returning For 3 Days In Waukee

Press release from the City of Waukee:

June 1, 2021

This year, Waukee’s Celebration of Independence will take place July 2-4! The newly expanded three-day event will feature a carnival, food vendors, a parade, live music, skydivers, bags and sand volleyball tournaments, the beloved fireworks show and more.

“The Waukee Park Board was excited to expand the annual festival to three days and to keep building onto this popular event,” said Waukee Recreation Supervisor Danae Edwards. “We look forward to seeing the full schedule of events return to Centennial Park, and we hope residents and visitors will enjoy these fun community-building activities.”

One change that event attendees should note is that the parade is scheduled for a new time this year – on Saturday, July 3 at 10:30 a.m. The parade route is also new. It will start at South Middle School, travel north on SE L.A. Grant Parkway, curve around SE Ashworth Road and end at the Ashworth Road entrance to Waukee Middle School. It’s free to participate in the parade, but businesses and organizations are required to register in advance.

Discounted carnival armbands can be purchased online through June 30 for $15. These bands are good from noon to 4 p.m. on the day for which they are issued. Family pack sheets of 24 tickets will cost $20 in-person at the carnival; single tickets will be available for $1 each.

Full schedule of events (at Centennial Park unless otherwise noted):

Friday, July 2

• Carnival and food vendors, Noon-10:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 3

• Boy Scout Troop 178 Fun Run, 8 a.m.
• Rotary Club of Waukee Pancake Breakfast, 8-10:30 a.m.
• Parade, 10:30 a.m. (Along SE L.A. Grant Parkway)
• Carnival and food vendors, Noon-10:30 p.m.
• Adult Bags Tournament, 1 p.m. (Sponsored by Farmers State Bank)
• Movies in the Park: “Jumanji: The Next Level”, 8:45 p.m./dusk (Sponsored by NCMIC)

Sunday, July 4

• Adult Sand Volleyball Tournament, 9 a.m. (Sponsored by Farmers State Bank)
• Carnival and food vendors, Noon-10:30 p.m.
• Live music: 80s Rock tribute band After Shock, 5-10:30 p.m.
• Des Moines Skydivers, TBD
• Fireworks, 9:30 p.m.

Learn more, purchase carnival armbands, register as parade entry or sign up for a tournament here.

This press release was produced by the City of Waukee. The views expressed here are the author’s own.