Highland Park plans scaled-down Fourth of July celebration 2 years after shooting; ‘We are coming together on this special day’

Community plans for Independence Day in Highland Park are well underway, as this year will mark two years since a gunman opened fire on the community’s annual Fourth of July parade, taking seven lives and injuring dozens more.

Plans for the 2024 holiday were informed by last year’s events, which required significant staff time, resources and funding to execute the five-event day. During a City Council Committee of the Whole meeting in October, city staffers said a daylong slate of events like what marked the 2023 holiday is “not sustainable.”

This year’s schedule — which includes a remembrance ceremony, parade and community festival — is intended to, “balance the diverse needs of the community by providing space for remembrance and also familiar community traditions,” City Manager Ghida Neukirch said.

City staffers sought feedback from the City Council, public, community and government partners, in planning the July 4, 2024 events.

The Independence Day events will start with an indoor remembrance ceremony at Highland Park High School at 10 a.m., when the first shots were fired in 2022. Attendees will need to register for the event ahead of time.

Later in the afternoon, the annual community parade to celebrate Independence Day will trek through downtown and uptown Highland Park on a new parade route. This year’s parade theme is, “Sweet Home Highland Park.”

“Whether or not individuals live in Highland Park, we are coming together on this special day to celebrate our country’s independence,” Neukirch said. “’Sweet Home Highland Park’ just really brings everybody together as one community.”

Best-in-show awards will be divided by category: neighborhood, community organization and businesses. Applications for parade participation opened on Monday and will close on May 31.

“We are really encouraging the public to get involved and put together entries into the parade by neighborhood, community group, businesses,” Neukirch said.

The procession will end at Sunset Woods Park for the Fourth Fest celebration presented by the Park District of Highland Park. Food trucks, music and games will be at the park until the programming ends at 4:30 p.m.

Instead of fireworks, the city has opted for a drone show, to provide trauma-informed entertainment. According to city officials, it will also be inclusive for those with sensory issues, and better for the environment and pets.

The drone-lighting entertainment, however, will take place later in the summer or early fall due to staffing needs, Neukirch said.

chilles@chicagotribune.com