Kentwood is rolling out the red, white, and blue for its annual Fourth of July celebration—and you’re invited. On Friday, July 4, the city will transform into a festive hub for family fun, fitness, food, and fireworks, offering a full day of activities that celebrate community spirit and national pride.
From early-morning pancakes to a high-energy evening concert and dazzling fireworks, this long-running tradition draws neighbors of all ages to Kentwood’s heart. And this year promises all the crowd favorites—with a few modern touches. (Heads up: the event is entirely cashless, so bring those cards.)
“Our Parks and Recreation and Public Works departments begin planning months in advance to make Kentwood’s Fourth of July Celebration a memorable event for all,” said Parks and Recreation Director Val Romeo. “From the morning pancake breakfast to the evening fireworks, this celebration is a great opportunity for our community to come together, have fun and honor the holiday.”
Morning Fuel and Fun Runs
The day kicks off with a hearty pancake breakfast at Kentwood Fire Station 1 (4775 Walma Ave. SE) from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. The cost is $5 per person, and littlest patriots age 3 and under eat free.
The city’s 5K race and fun walk starts at 8 a.m. from Kentwood City Hall (4900 Breton Road SE), winding through quiet neighborhoods and part of the East West Trail. Finishers can expect a medal at the finish line, but leave the roller skates, dogs and bikes at home for safety.
Mid-Morning Merriment
The patriotic parade—always a highlight—steps off at 9:30 a.m. from Crestwood Middle School (2674 44th St. SE), looping south on Walma, north on Breton and back to its starting point.
By 10:30 a.m., the carnival swings into action on the grounds of City Hall, running through 2:30 p.m. Expect rides, games and classic prizes. Tickets are $1 each, with varying ticket counts per attraction. Wristbands for unlimited rides are available for $20 onsite or in advance from July 2–3 at City Hall or the Kentwood Activities Center (355 48th St. SE).
Evening Vibes and Fireworks Finale
From 4 to 10 p.m., Kentwood’s evening celebration takes over the City Hall lawn with a mix of community booths, a beer tent, food trucks and live music. This year’s lineup features performances by Signal Trip, Simply in Time and Par-llo Connection.
At dusk, the sky lights up with a fireworks show visible from City Hall and the surrounding area—a perfect end to a community-centered day.
Know Before You Go
For safety and ease of movement, several road closures will be in place. Walma Avenue (from Fire Station 1 to the roundabout) will be closed all day for pedestrian traffic. A section of Breton Avenue will close shortly before the fireworks and reopen about 30 minutes after the show. Kentwood Police and volunteers will be on hand throughout the day to help with directions and safety.
A Community Effort
The celebration wouldn’t be possible without the support of its generous sponsors, including diamond sponsor Macatawa Bank, along with a host of gold, silver and copper-level contributors such as DTE Foundation, Lacks Enterprises and Wolverine Building Group.
Organizers are still welcoming 5K runners, parade participants and volunteers. To sign up or learn more, visit kentwood.us/4thofJuly.
