July 4th In Avon Lake: Fireworks, Closings, 5Ks

AVON LAKE, OH — Independence Day in Avon Lake will be celebrated on July 2 and July 4. A free fireworks show will be held July 2 at 7 p.m. at Weiss Park. City offices will be closed on July 4, in observation of the holiday.

On top of all the usual holiday celebration, the city will also see the return of the 10th Annual Smiles for Sophie Forever Bash & Dash at Walker Road Park in Avon Lake. The July 4th race starts at 9 a.m. and will feature a 5K run and a 1.5 mile fun walk. There will also be a birthday celebration with cupcakes, raffles, food and activities for kids.

The event supports the Smiles for Sophie Forever organization, which has awarded more than $850,000 to families and children suffering from pediatric brain cancer. The organization also donates to St. Jude for the purpose of finding a cure and spreading disease awareness.

The organization is named for a four-year-old Avon Lake resident, Sophie Quayle. Sophie was born in 2003 in Cincinnati. She was later diagnosed with pediatric brain cancer, a disease that eventually claimed her life. You can read Sophie's story here. The birthday party at the event will commemorate what would have been Sophie's 14th birthday.

Registration is open online for the race.

There will be plenty of kids' activities including a fitness obstacle course, inflatables, face painting, a 50 and 100-yard dash, a cookie walk, snow-cones, cotton candy and more.

Interested participants can also earn extra gifts by raising money. If a participant can raise $100, they will receive a Smiles for Sophie Forever item. Raising $250 will enter a participant in a drawing for a $500 Amazon gift card.

Photo from Pixabay