Park City’s Fourth of July, the big celebration with a small-town feel, is Chris Phinney’s favorite day.
“It’s one of those days where you will run into friends you haven’t seen for a little bit,” said Phinney, Park City Municipal Corporation special events manager. “Everyone comes in for the parade and all the activities at City Park, and it’s a full day of fun.”
The public events kick off at 8 a.m. with the annual 5K fun run, hosted by Park City Ski and Snowboard at Cole Sport, and continues with the Rodney Schreurs Fallen Officer Memorial and Fourth of July Main Street Parade.
“We’ve got close to 70 entries in the parade,” Phinney said. “We keep the parade entries to those who are local in the Wasatch back.”
Main Street begins closing at 6 a.m. to give organizers time to prepare for the parade. All cars need to be off of Main Street, Park Avenue — from 9th Street to 15th Street — Heber Avenue, Swede Alley and all Swede Alley surface parking, and by 8 a.m., the roads are expected to close to all vehicles.
Any vehicles parked in these areas during the times indicated above will be towed at the owner’s expenses, Phinney said.
“We start letting all the floats line up on Swede Alley around 8:30 a.m. so they can get situated and in their spots when the parade starts,” he said. “We have contracted Kate McChesney and Michelle McDonald of the Park Silly Sunday Market to come in and help organize and run the parade.”
The parade will end near City Park, where the festivities continue with a volleyball tournament, rugby games and other family-friendly activities, Phinney said.
“We work with the rugby team and they help coordinate the food trucks and beer garden,” he said. “There will be a lot of activities for all ages and families and individuals, including live music through Mountain Town Music.”
Mountain Town Music is a local nonprofit that helps book artists and run sound.
Phinney said there will be no parking at City Park from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. because it will be a hub of activities.
“We suggest people give themselves enough time to get to Main Street or City Park because there will be a lot of traffic,” he said. “So, we want to encourage carpooling, walking, riding the free public transit or biking. We will have a bike valet on 9th Street.”
Free parking with free transit to Main Street is also available at Park City Mountain, Deer Valley Resort, Richardson Flat and the Park City School District on Kearns Boulevard, Phinney said.
Paid parking will be available at China Bridge Parking Structure on Swede Alley and other private lots located around town.
Parking fees vary around town. China Bridge costs $30 until 1 p.m., and then it’s free afterward.
The Flagpole Lot will not be available until after the parade at 1 p.m., so Main Street business owners and employees with permits are encouraged to park in the North Marsac lot, via Marsac Avenue, and the Gateway Center upper lot via Heber Avenue.
Carpool-permit holders should park in Sandridge Lots, and if those lots are full, carpool-permit holders may park in North Marsac or China Bridge as space allows, according to a Park City Municipal press release.
Although Park City’s Fourth of July tradition used to include fireworks, that changed to a drone show a few years ago due to wildfire danger. Skyworx Drone Shows will present the show, according to Phinney.
“The show takes off from the base of Park City Mountain Resort,” he said. “So if you’re anywhere in the City Park area or by the base of the mountain, you will see the show. And we hope everyone will come out and have a good time.”
For information about Park City’s 2025 Fourth of July celebration, visit tinyurl.com/y6ccmbbm.