photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

Fireworks light up the sky on July 3, 2022, over the KU Endowment building, 1891 Constant Ave.

With the country celebrating its 250th anniversary on July 4, there are plenty of different types of Independence Day events happening across the region.

From historic reenactments to special pop-up events from the World Cup, Lawrence residents can find events not limited to fireworks shows — though there are plenty of those as well.

Here is a round-up of some of Fourth of July events going on:

Lawrence’s July 4th Freedom Fest; east side of South Park, 1141 Massachusetts St.; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

This free, grassroots celebration of the Declaration of Independence is in its second year. Robin Gingerich, the lead coordinator of the festival, previously told the Journal-World the coalition leading the event is “proud again to celebrate our Constitution.”

One highlight of the event will be a program providing an overview of the nation’s progress in the areas of civil rights, women’s rights and voting rights. Amii Castle, a University of Kansas law professor, will act as emcee and also talk about the proposed amendments to the Kansas Constitution that will be on ballots this year.

The event will also feature music performances, poem readings and a mix of kid-friendly activities will be provided, including face painting, balloons, sidewalk chalk and cornhole. Food trucks will also be on site.

Bleeding Kansas Reenactment; Territorial Capital Museum, 640 E Woodson Ave. in Lecompton; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Lecompton Historical Society will present a free reenactment of some of the embryonic events that led to the American Civil War that started in Kansas during the “Bleeding Kansas” era.

The Lecompton Reenactors, a group of amateur historians with a theatrical bent, will bring to life some of the dramatic political strife and guerilla warfare which went on in the Kansas Territory from 1854 to 1861.

Moment of Unity; the historic Clearfield School, 2162 N. 600 Road in Douglas County; 1 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.

The Santa Fe Trail Historical Society of Douglas County is hosting a free event at the historic Clearfield School in rural Douglas County.

The event will start at 1 p.m. with a ringing of the bells as part of the Military Order of World Wars, a nationwide program that aims to create a coordinated bell ringing to honor the formation of the country.

After the ringing, the event will feature a reading and the singing of the Declaration of Independence. The bells will be rung again at 1:50 p.m. as part of another national movement called the America 250 National Bell Festival “Ringing from the Sea to Shining Sea.”

Refreshments will be provided following the bell ringings, and the first 100 attendees will receive free America 250 bells.

Summerfest 2026; Douglas County Fairgrounds, 2120 Harper St.; 4 to 10 p.m.

Summerfest 2026, a free, family-friendly event hosted by the City of Lawrence, hopes to bring people together for an evening full of music, food and community celebration.

The event will feature live music performances, interactive activities, food trucks that feature local favorites and a drone show that will feature 400 drones — double the number of last year’s drone show.

The event will also display a special gallery, created by Watkins Museum of History, the Dole Institute and city and county governments, that honors civil servants in the community.

As the grand finale, the evening’s entertainment will end with a performance by the Lawrence City Band from 9 to 9:40 p.m. before the drone show lights up the sky.

The event will take place rain or shine; however, severe weather may impact the drone show and outdoor performances. If there is severe weather, the city plans to share updates about the events.

Eudora’s Star-Spangled Celebration; Eudora High School, 2203 Church St.; 5 to 10:30 p.m.

The Independence Day party starts in Eudora at 5 p.m. with great food and family fun promised for the Star-Spangled Celebration.

Food trucks, live performances and a “family fun zone” that will feature inflatables like a bounce house will help ring in the Fourth of July celebrations. The city’s fireworks display will be scheduled to start at around 9:30 p.m.

Because the celebration is on school grounds, fireworks and alcohol will not be permitted at the celebration.

The Spirit of Kansas Celebration; Reynolds Lodge at Lake Shawnee, 3315 SE Tinman Circle in Topeka; 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The Independence Day celebrations in Topeka center around Lake Shawnee for the free “Spirit of Kansas” celebration, which features all types of entertainment throughout the day.

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., there is a classic car show; from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., there is a blues festival and the evening closes with a fireworks show at around 10 p.m. Add in food and craft vendors and a waterski show, the event is a full-day of summer fun on a scenic lake.

Stars and Stripes Picnic; National WWI Museum and Memorial, 2 Memorial Drive in Kansas City; hours vary, but the firework show starts at about 9:40 p.m.

Kansas City’s official Fourth of July celebration also happens to coincide with the 2026 FIFA World Cup Fan Festival, meaning there are two ways to experience the event.

Visitors can enjoy the festivities at Penn Valley Park as a relaxed picnic experience where you can bring in food or buy from select food vendors that will operate from 3 to 10 p.m., or they can purchase a free ticket that day to the FIFA Fan Fest and take part in the complete match day experience.

Each site will be able to hear the music performances going on that night from Lost Wax and DJ Ashton Martin. The FIFA Fan Fest would be closer to the fireworks and performances, but it does have a capacity limit.