Red, White & BOOM!
Photo: Larry Hamill Photography

I love Fourth of July festivities in Columbus - from parades to food to my favorite, the fireworks.

I can’t wait to start off the weekend by heading to Red, White and BOOM! Held on Friday, July 3, the day begins at 10 a.m. with food, games and entertainment, and ends with one of the most spectacular firework displays ever.

If you’re planning on heading to Red, White and BOOM!, you may want to keep a few things in mind:

• Fireworks will be launched at 10 p.m. from Franklin County Veterans Memorial. Some of the best places to see the show include Goodale Park, Battelle Park, Long Street, Nationwide Boulevard, Washington Boulevard and Genoa Park (also note that you can no longer view fireworks from Bicentennial Park or Berliner Park).

• Food and entertainment will be available throughout downtown, including:
  • Midway - on Washington Boulevard, near COSI
  • Taste of BOOM! - in the Arena District
  • NBC4 BOOM! Central - on Long St.

• The parade begins near COSI at 6 p.m. and will head east on Broad Street. It will travel north on Front Street and end on the corner of Front and Spring streets. Roads will be closed from 5:30-7:30 p.m. for the parade.

• The majority of streets in the Arena District will be closed from 6 p.m. to midnight.

• Check out this PDF for details on street closures and the locations of various BOOM! spots.

• If you decide to park downtown, you can check out parking options and even purchase a parking space in advance here .

For more BOOM! planning info, including details about activities and the entertainment schedule, check out the Red, White and BOOM! Web site .

Have a great Fourth of July weekend!