Old Dodge City 4th of July Celebration is Back for 2021

Dodge City, Kansas— The Old Dodge City 4th of July Celebration is back with the community fireworks show on Sunday, July 4, 2021, at a new location. This year, the display will be launched from the northeast corner of Mariah Hills Golf Course, and the official watch location will be in the Boot Hill Casino & Resort Conference Center Parking lot.

The display will begin at 10 pm with accompanying music on 97.3 FM, and the pre-show event will begin at 8 pm and will feature a performance by the 35th Infantry Division Band of the Kansas National Guard out of Olathe, Kansas. Local food trucks will also be in attendance,

“We, as the planning committee, had to make a difficult choice last year to cancel the fireworks display and concerns over distancing during the pandemic,” said planning committee chair, Fire Chief Ken Spencer. “This year, we plan to have it come back better than ever. We have a new vendor that has doubled the number of fireworks that will be launched during the display.”

The new location at Mariah Hills Golf Course is ideal for the Dodge City Fire Department to close off access roads on Comanche Ave. and Matt Down Lane for a clear route to respond to calls.

“One issue we had with the display being held at the Roundup Arena was that spectators blocked some of our exits around the riverbed,” Spencer said. “Our fire crews are still on duty during the display and need to be able to respond to calls that may take place during the show. Moving the location allows us to shut off some streets, so we don’t worry about not getting to a call within our required response time.”

Another perk to the new location is the separate official watch location. Utilizing the Boot Hill Casino & Resort Conference Center Parking lot has allowed the planning committee to partner with Boot Hill Casino & Resort and United Wireless Arena to bring back the Celebration to an event feel rather than just a fireworks display with entertainment and food.

“The United Wireless Arena and Boot Hill Casino and Resort Conference Center are happy to participate in Dodge City’s 4th of July Celebration,” said Chris Ragland, Executive Director of United Wireless Arena & The Boot Hill Casino Conference Center. “It’s a great opportunity for the people in our community to celebrate together and enjoy the festivities that so many people have worked on to bring to Dodge City and Ford County.”

The regional fireworks display is made possible by the generous donations of local businesses and individuals. Donations can be sent to City Hall, P.O. Box 880, Dodge City, KS 67801 (checks made out to the City of Dodge City, Memo “Fireworks Fund).