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Wilmore will host the 35th annual “Festival of the 4th” and parade on the upcoming holiday, Thursday, July 4, 2024. 

Jessamine County will start its celebration of the signing of the country’s Declaration of Independence with the annual parade on its Main Street in Downtown Wilmore. The city’s parade will start at 10 a.m. and last an hour, featuring a performance from the beloved Lawnmower Brigade and the Jessamine County Community Band. 

To participate in the parade, groups with pedestrians, cars, and or horses can register at this link:  https://forms.gle/fsPSDREdrSAgVFEa6.

There is new line-up information this year, according to the city of Wilmore. The lineup for the parade is at 9:30 in the morning. Walking groups with no vehicles will line up in the parking areas on College Street (near the Asbury music building across from the WGM building). Vehicles, including those with a walking group, will line up on Kinlaw Drive. Horses will meet in the parking lot behind the Luce Center, and all groups will be merged together as the parade begins moving. 

The parade route is as follows: From College Street to Lexington Avenue, right on Lexington Avenue to Main Street, left on Main Street, ending at Campground Lane. 

Parade participants can exit the parade or circle back to the Wilmore Municipal Center and enjoy the festival. 

The Festival of the 4th will begin right after the Parade, at 11 a.m. at the Wilmore Municipal Center on 210 South Lexington Avenue in Wilmore. 

Attendees will enjoy arts and crafts, music, food trucks, games, inflatables, and more. This year, the festival will also include a Youth Entrepreneur Fair for youth 19 years old and younger. 

Wilmore Parks and Recreation Director Amy Fitch asks the city’s young entrepreneurs to bring their homemade goods to display and sell. 

To register, go to https://forms.gle/kCuzycfmJ9McqGwc6. For questions, email Amy at afitch@wilmore.org

The day will end with a free-of-charge Fourth of July Fireworks Show hosted by the R.J. Corman Railroad Group. 

“We are honored to celebrate [our] nation and our freedoms by showcasing an exceptional fireworks display from our headquarters,” states the R. J. Corman website. 

The fireworks will be launched at 10 p.m. from the R. J. Corman Nicholasville Farm at 101 RJ Corman Drive off of U.S. 27. Like last year, the show will be within Corman’s “Iconic display of trains,” according to its website. 

Limited parking will be available for free on the property near the launch site. No tickets are required for entry, and the gate will remain open from 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. or until capacity is reached. You can find the entrance at the Wilmore Road (KY-29) intersection and April Highway, across from the Lone Oak subdivision entrance.

R. J. Corman thanks the Nicholasville Police Department, Jessamine County Sheriff’s Office, Jessamine County EMS, Wilmore Police Department, and the Nicholasville Fire Department for their assistance in making this event happen.

“We kindly request that all attendees adhere to the instructions and recommendations provided by officials. Please note that R. J. Corman’s facilities are designated as tobacco-free zones; this includes e-cigarettes. Additionally, the use of fireworks, grills, and tents of any kind is strictly prohibited. Consumption or possession of drugs or alcohol is also forbidden,” states the R. J. Corman website. 

The fireworks show is a rain or shine event. Cancellations will be announced on the R. J. Corman Facebook page.