Highland Park 4th Of July Parade Gets New Route, Night Events Scrapped

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — City officials announced plans for this year's Independence Day celebrations, including the return of a float parade and the cancellation of nighttime activities.

This year's parade features a modified route and will incorporate the traditional children's bike and pet parade into the main parade.

The new route starts at Laurel Avenue and First Street and heads west on Laurel to Green Bay Road before turning right on Green Bay Road to Central Avenue. That bypasses the corner of Central and 2nd Street from which a gunman allegedly opened fire at paradegoers in 2022.

Last year, on the first anniversary of the mass shooting, a remembrance walk replaced the usual 4th of July parade, with participants walking past the site of the shooting.

The walk was followed by a community picnic in Sunset Woods Park and a nighttime Gary Sinese concert and drone show at Wolters Field that replaced the fireworks that had been held in years prior.

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“While our community was forever changed by the events on July 4, 2022, this Independence Day, we can start a new chapter by coming together in love and kindness for one another,” said Terry Grossberg, president of the local park district board.

The theme of this year's parade is "Sweet Home Highland Park," with city and park district organizers encouraging community members to collaborate on shared float or parade entries that embody something special about the town. In a new addition to the parade, all entries will be entered into a contest to award the best float, decorated vehicle and non-motorist unit.

“Celebrating this national holiday with our loved ones is crucial to our community’s identity," Grossberg said in a statement. "Let’s come together, share this special moment with our neighbors and friends, and create cherished memories.”

This year's parade begins at 1 p.m., shifting the start date to the afternoon to allow for a 10 a.m. remembrance ceremony at City Hall to coincide with the time the shooting began, fatally wounding Katie Goldstein, Irina McCarthy, Kevin McCarthy, Stephen Straus, Jacki Sundheim, Nicolás Toledo and Eduardo Uvaldo.

The ceremony will move indoors this year for privacy reasons, city staff announced, encouraging those with concerns about re-traumatization from patriotic décor and other parade-related materials to avoid the rose garden memorial adjacent to City Hall from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The city's memorial planning committee has considered six possible locations for a permanent memorial. They include the rose garden, Port Clinton Plaza, the southwest corner of St. Johns & Central avenues, an acre on the north side of Sunset Park, the Ross property where the shooting happened, Central Avenue between First and Second streets.

Meeting notes indicate all options other than the rose garden site of the existing memorial come with concerns that they are "virtually unavoidable" and "impactful to children."

The committee is composed of Mayor Nancy Rotering, Councilmember Tony Blumberg, City Manager Ghida Neukirch, Resiliency Manager Madeline Kati, Josselyn Center Community Engagement Manager Gaby Valverde Strobehn and Brian Romes, the executive director of the park district.

City staff offered professional support for those considering participating in the parade. Those interested in learning more about opportunities for short-term counseling, resources, referrals and case management may contact the city's resiliency manager by phone or email.

For those planning to participate in the parade, advanced registration is required. An application packet is available online.

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Following the conclusion of the 2024 July 4 parade, the family-friendly 4th Fest will feature rides, carnival games, food trucks, a petting zoo and music from Radio Gaga and others from 1:30 to 4 p.m. at Sunset Woods Park.

“Independence Day has traditionally been a special opportunity for our community to come together with beloved traditions,” Rotering said in a statement announcing the plans for the 2024 parade.

“As we continue our journey as one Highland Park, we do so with respect, compassion, and support for all whose lives were forever changed on July 4, 2022, while maintaining the community spirit that has always been a hallmark of Highland Park’s Independence Day events.”

The Highland Park High School dropout who allegedly confessed to the shooting is set to stand trial in February 2025 on 117 felony counts, a conviction for which would bring an automatic life sentence. He is due in court in Waukegan Wednesday morning for a status conference.

Earlier: Highland Park Reclaims July 4 Parade Route A Year After Mass Shooting