Aurora will celebrate the Nation’s 247th birthday with a grand parade through downtown Aurora with more than 40 exciting units led by WGN television weather anchor and Aurora native, Paul Konrad!
8:45 a.m.: Grand marshal meet and greet with Paul Konrad at the Aurora Public Art building, 20 E. Downer Place, on the third floor. Light refreshments will be provided. A graduate of Waubonsie Valley High School Konrad is a nine-time Emmy Award winning television weather anchor for Chicago’s top-rated WGN Morning News, which reaches millions of viewers each week.
9:30 a.m.: The pre-parade ceremony will feature the National Anthem, awards presentation, remarks from the grand marshal, and an exciting performance by hit acapella group and vocal ensemble, Radius! The reviewing stand is at 20 E. Downer Place.
10 a.m.: The 2023 parade will step off at the intersection of Benton and Broadway, go north on Broadway to Downer, west on Downer to River Street.
- The night priorto the parade, will be us the annual fireworks show. The City of Lights will live up to its nickname when the sky illuminates with vibrant lights during Aurora’s 2023 Fourth of July fireworks extravaganza!
Fireworks will begin at 9:15 p.m.!
- Two beautiful parks will allow good viewing: RiverEdge Park and McCullough Park!
- Both parks will open at 6 p.m.!
- DJs from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.!
- Inflatables and bounce houses at McCullough Park!
- Food Truck Hub at Wilder Park (across the bridge from RiverEdge and down the path from McCullough)
- Vehicle drivers can park offsite and take a convenient shuttle.
The full shuttle schedule is available at www.aurora-il.org/FourthofJuly or below.
—City of Aurora government