Neighborhoods around Louisville celebrate Fourth of July with community festivals

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- People got an early start to celebrating Independence Day in Louisville on Sunday at neighborhood events held throughout the city.

The 37th Crescent Hill Fourth of July Festival started on Sunday at the Peterson-Dumesnil House. The two-day festival featured an art fair, live music, field games for children.

It's the first time since 2019 the festival has been held due to COVID-19.

"This is wonderful," Sara Galvin, Crescent Hill Community Council, said. "We're very excited every year, we gear up and get ready and then every year they were like, 'oh no, we're still in the red.' So finally we're so happy it's back."

There are more than 200 volunteers that spend over a year planning the festival.

"Many of us have been here all week long and it's just a labor of love for a great neighborhood cause," Greg Smith, the festival's entertainment chairman for music and fireworks, said. "We'll start planning the week after it's over with."

It goes from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Monday, with fireworks scheduled for 10 p.m. Monday's festivities include a pet and cake contest, presentation of historical flags by the Sons of the American Revolution and a performance by Louisville Folk School.

A historic tradition also returned to Tyler Park on Sunday.

Tyler Park Neighborhood Association hosted an Independence Day Picnic at Tyler Park for the second straight year. It was held annually for around 50 years from 1910 to 1960, and was relaunched last year.

"Our neighborhood association decided to relaunch this as kind of a celebration at sort of the tail end of the pandemic, so we're doing a real classic family picnic," Shawn Reilly, Tyler Park Neighborhood Association President, said. "Bringing people together again, getting the neighborhood back engaged, just a great time and Fourth of July is a perfect time to celebrate."

Two bands performed as people tried their luck at games like egg toss, dodgeball and sack races. The park's splash pad was filled with children playing in the water.

"I feel like there's not a lot of places that still do things like this," September Morgan, a resident in Tyler Park neighborhood, said. "Especially for kids, having things for them to do on holidays."

Whether it's bringing back long-established festivities or starting new traditions, the main goal is bringing people together.

"It is very special and it's just a great community event and this is where Crescent Hill shines," Smith said. "We just have a lot of community in this neighborhood."

To see a list of Fourth of July events around Louisville, click here.

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