If you’re looking forward to the Champaign County Freedom Celebration’s annual July 4 parade, keep in mind there are some important changes for 2025.
First and foremost: The parade will have a new start time and route.
The parade this year will begin at 4:30 p.m., several hours later than what had been its usual start time for years. The goal is to increase participation in other activities that are staged in later afternoon, keeping the parade crowd engaged in those fun things in the lead up to the fireworks show.
Organizers are encouraging parade-goers to bring their lawn chairs and blankets to the parade, then head to the Memorial Stadium Terrace or Lot 31 for music, kids’ games and activities, food trucks and face painting, along with a Sensory Museum with lots of bubbles. The Champaign Fire Department will conduct a flag ceremony with the National Anthem to precede the fireworks show at dusk.
The new parade route will mirror that of the University of Illinois’ homecoming parade. It will line up on Fourth Street, between the Bielfeldt Athletic Administration Building and State Farm Center, at 3:30 p.m, then step off at 4:30. It will start on Kirby Avenue toward Gregory, head west to First Street, then south to Kirby/Florida and go between State Farm Center and Memorial Stadium to the beginning of Fourth Street.
Evening entertainment begins at 6 p.m., with fireworks scheduled for 9:15 p.m.
Find more information here.
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