Festive Fourth of July celebrations have been planned across the western communities at events in Wellington, Royal Palm Beach and Westlake. Each includes a day of fun entertainment capped by professional fireworks displays.
Wellington — The Village of Wellington will begin the holiday with a Patriotic Pool Party at the Wellington Aquatics Complex with fun activities and contests scheduled on the hour. The party will take place Tuesday, July 4 from noon to 5 p.m. Pool party admission is free for children ages two and under, $3 for juniors ages three to 17, $5 for adults ages 18 to 54, and $2 for seniors ages 55 and older.
After the pool party, the focus shifts to the main event at Wellington’s Village Park on Pierson Road. The free, family friendly Fourth of July Celebration will begin at 6 p.m. and conclude with fireworks at 9:15 p.m.
“The village is excited to host our annual Fourth of July event, sponsored by Joe DiMaggio Children’s Heath Specialty Center,” Community Events Director Michelle Garvey said. “New this year, we are partnering with Seven Axes, so that people can try their best at ax throwing.”
The evening will feature live music from the original Whisky Six Band at 6 p.m. Whisky Six is one of South Florida’s favorite local country bands. Next up will be the Justified Loxahatchee Band at 7:40 p.m. Justified plays a variety of country, southern rock, classic rock and blues.
While the music plays, there will be a wide array of free family fun, including ax throwing, bounce houses and inflatables, an extreme ninja obstacle course, the polar express slide, crazy games, face painting, a petting zoo and more.
Attendees can also visit one of the many vendors on site, or give the gift of life by donating blood at OneBlood’s Big Red Bus. Approximately 20 food trucks will be in attendance offering a variety of gourmet eats and sweets for purchase.
Wellington’s Fireworks Extravaganza, presented by Zambelli Fireworks International, begins at 9:15 p.m. The show lasts approximately 20 minutes and can be seen for miles around. Tune-in to 88.7 FM for music designed to accompany the fireworks show.
Fireworks and crowds are not for everyone, and Wellington has partnered with KultureCity to make village programs and events inclusive for all residents. There will be a quiet area located inside the Village Park gymnasium to provide a dedicated space for those who may need a quieter and more secure environment.
“We have a variety of activities for all ages. Besides the children’s activities outside, we also have bingo inside for the adults. Once again, we are offering our KultureCity room inside as well,” Garvey said. “I would highly recommend that families take the shuttle to the park, so they don’t have to stress about traffic and parking.”
Parking at Village Park is limited. The free shuttle service leaves from the Mall at Wellington Green at the Palm Tran bus stop near Macy’s, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Learn more at www.wellingtonfl.gov.
Royal Palm Beach — The Village of Royal Palm Beach invites the entire community to spend the holiday on Tuesday, July 4 at the annual Star-Spangled Spectacular event at Royal Palm Beach Commons Park (11600 Poinciana Blvd.).
“We have a large crowd that participates and enjoys our activities,” Parks & Recreation Director Lou Recchio said. “We don’t charge anybody anything, including for the kids’ rides. All people have to pay for is what they eat and drink. My recommendation, however, is if you are coming, come early, because parking is limited inside the park.”
Festivities begin at 6 a.m. with the annual Royal Palm Beach Bassmasters fishing tournament. If reeling in a big one isn’t your style, you can play in the sand during a volleyball tournament starting at 9 a.m. or hit the links during the Mayor’s Golf Tournament, held this year at the Village Golf Club. Registration for golf begins at 7 a.m., with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. and a luncheon at noon. The fishing and volleyball tournaments are both free to enter, while the golf tournament is $100 per person or $400 per foursome. There will also be a chance to show off your skills and compete for prizes and awards in a cornhole tournament at 6 p.m., which is also free to enter.
The main Star-Spangled Spectacular event kicks off at 1 p.m. at Commons Park with games, arts and crafts, a free kids’ fun zone, kayaking, paddleboarding, live entertainment and much more.
Entertainment on the amphitheater stage begins with the Joey Calderaio Band at 4 p.m. and continues with an Elton John Tribute at 6 p.m. and an Earth Wind & Fire Tribute at 8 p.m. There will also be an assortment of vendors offering tasty treats and refreshing beverages to enjoy. To end the day with a bang, the village will host a patriotic fireworks display by Zambelli scheduled for 9 p.m.
“People come for our fireworks display,” Recchio said. “The fireworks are pretty large. The show runs for 31 minutes; it’s constant. We have a pretty good reputation as far as our fireworks display.”
Royal Palm Beach’s Star-Spangled Spectacular is a free, family friendly event. Learn more at www.royalpalmbeachfl.gov.
Westlake — The City of Westlake will hold its second annual Fourth of July Concert & Fireworks Show starting at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, July 4. The day will be capped by a fireworks show at 9 p.m. Both residents of Westlake, as well as neighbors from the surrounding communities, are invited to the patriotic celebration.
Mayor JohnPaul O’Connor noted that there will be many food trucks and plenty of handicapped-accessible parking.
“Westlake is not an island,” he said. “We’re excited to welcome not only our residents, but people from the surrounding area as well. It’s going to be a wonderful time. We hope they come out and celebrate our nation’s freedom with us.”
Entertainment and musical groups will be performing throughout the day and take the stage at 4 p.m. Enjoy musical hits by the Deep Fried Funk Band, which headlines the musical stage entertainment produced by Mike Sipe Entertainment. Also on stage will be the South Florida country duo Juna N Joey.
Westlake City Manager Kenneth Cassel said that residents enjoy the growing lineup of community events.
“We believe it’s important to do this because it drives community spirit,” he said. “It drives pride in our community, state and country.”
He noted that there will be misting stations to help keep people cool in the hot, summer heat.
The first 1,000 guests to visit the Cool Zone tent will receive a fun FourthFest goodie bag. New this year will be a variety of market vendors for guests to enjoy and support local small businesses.
Bring the kids to play in the kid zone filled with games, bounce house, slides and other children’s activities, including the ultimate foam experience, sponsored by GameGo Foam Experience. Don’t forget to pack your appetite, as several food truck options will be available. The Zambelli fireworks show will end the evening with a 22-minute, dazzling fireworks display that will light up the sky.
The title sponsor is Minto Communities, and other sponsors include: Inframark; Universal Health Services/Wellington Regional Medical Center; Florida Power & Light; Lewis, Longman & Walker; and Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath.
Admission and parking are both free. Festivities are held on Kingfisher Blvd. across the street from the Westlake Adventure Park lodge at 5490 Kingfisher Blvd. Learn more at www.westlakegov.com.
