Rising Sun’s fabulous fireworks event is Wednesday, July 3 at Riverfront Park on Front Street.  Bring your family and friends, a comfy blanket or lawn chairs for a full evening of musical entertainment, food and explosive fun!

GOLF CART PARADE!  The festival will begin at 6:30 pm with a Golf Cart Parade.  Please assemble at City Hall at 200 North Walnut Street between 6 and 6:15 pm.  Decorations are available on site or you can decorate in advance.  The patriotic themed carts will go down Walnut, left on Main toward the river then right on Front.  See Rising Sun Main Street-Indiana on Facebook for more information.

MUSIC!  From 7 to 10 pm, there will be live music by Bogus Hollow, a great local band with a mix of new/old country, pop and rock.  The group will perform on the picnic patio across from the Empire House Hotel.

FOOD!  Be sure to come hungry.  From 7 to 10 pm, the Rising Sun Lions Club will serve up delicious favorites like burgers, hot dogs, BBQ, popcorn, nachos, snow cones along with some chilly beverages for you to enjoy.  Prices are very reasonable and there will be multiple serving lines to quickly accommodate the crowd.  Proceeds support our local Lions Club who does some really great work in our community.  Look for their food and beverage tents near Second and Front (or just follow your nose).

FIREWORKS!  From 10 to 10:30 pm, Dynamite Deno Koumoutsos, Atomic Annie Adams and their pyrotechnic pals will put on THE BEST fireworks show in southeast Indiana.  From the brilliant colors rapidly filling the night sky to the shimmering light reflecting off the river to the explosions echoing throughout the valley, it truly is a spectacular show!  The ideal place to soak in the sights and sounds is on our vast grassy terraced wall along the river.  Another option is to sit along either side of Front Street between Main and First.  (Please leave the middle open for emergency vehicles.)

Please see the attached event map below to show the best places to watch the fireworks and locations for things such as food, music, bathrooms, emergency vehicles and traffic/pedestrian restrictions.

NOTE:  In the event of rain and only if the fireworks guns have not been loaded, the makeup date will be Friday, July 5.  If the rain comes after the guns have been loaded, the fireworks must be shot off and the event will not be postponed.  July 4 will remain open for family activities.  In the event of high river levels, the fireworks will move to Shiner Park.  Should any changes to the fireworks occur because of rain or river levels, those updates will be posted on the city’s website and Facebook page at the earliest possible moment.

Here are some important things to know:

Those who plan on watching the fireworks from their boats must adhere to all instructions from Dearborn County Water Rescue which will be patrolling the area.  Please keep a safe distance away from the fallout area which extends into the river a minimum of 500 feet from the First Street boat ramp and docks.

Portable restrooms will be located on Front Street just south of the Second Street intersection and also near Fryman’s Landing at the new boat ramp by Plum Street.  The public restroom buildings near the seaplane hangar by First Street and on Main Street across from the Legion will also be open until 9:30 pm.  Parking is available within a few blocks of the park along downtown streets and various lots.

There will be no docking at the First Street boat ramp between 12 pm and 12 am.  The docks at the new ramp at Fryman’s Landing on Plum Street (two blocks south) will be available for temporary docking.

There will be no parking on Front Street between Main and Plum from 12 pm to 12 am.  This is a pedestrian only area. Front between Main and Fourth will be open to traffic but limited to one way toward Fourth.  You must turn left on Front if coming down Main or Fourth.

The alley running parallel between Front and Poplar will remain open for traffic to flow and connect with Second, First, Williams and Plum.  Barricades will be placed just below the alley on these streets to prevent traffic from entering the pedestrian only area.

Fireworks are expected to arrive around 2 pm.  Once delivered, no pedestrians will be permitted around the First Street ramp and docks or the lower river walkway running between First and Williams.  This is the fireworks launch area.

A portion of Front Street on either side of First Street will be restricted to all pedestrians after 9:30 pm for safety concerns.  Because the main fireworks are being launched off the First Street boat ramp, the nearby shelter and a portion of the playground are included in the restricted area.  After 9:30 pm, all pedestrians must be outside of the clearly marked restricted area.  The restriction will end at 11 pm after the fireworks area has been secured.  The alley, one half block above Front Street, will remain open for foot traffic at all times.

Please respect and honor the barricaded and caution taped areas.  These are in place for everyone’s safety.  Ignoring them or moving them puts yourself and others at risk.  We want this to be a safe and enjoyable event for all.  Do the right thing and please walk around these areas, not through them.

For those who like to shoot off your own fireworks, the State of Indiana does have rules you must follow.  Putting Indiana Code 22-11-14-10.5(c)(3) into friendly terms, you are permitted to use consumer approved fireworks between 5 pm and 11:15 pm (approximately 2 hours after sunset), five days before and after July 4.  The exception is July 4 when the permitted times are between 10 am and midnight.  Please be safe and please also be courteous to your neighbors.