Independence-themed celebrations planned at Banner, Hoyt park
Jackson County area residents will have two options for public fireworks displays this Independence Day weekend.
The Holton/Jackson County Chamber of Commerce’s annual July Jubilee at Banner Creek Reservoir will be held this Saturday, July 2, featuring a fireworks display at dark provided by Jesse Kimmi of Everest. The gates to the reservoir grounds will open at 5 p.m. and free-will donations will be accepted at the gates.
Live music at the reservoir grounds will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a performance by the Jackson County Community Band at the reservoir chapel. Music will shift to the reservoir stage at 6 p.m. with local bluegrass group the Boiler Room Boys, followed by the Copper Petals, a local group consisting of Chris Heineken and Shelly Will and featuring Jake Spalding and Garrett Will, at 7 p.m. and Wilder Horses, a Topeka-based country group, at 8 p.m.
Food trucks at the event are scheduled to include PWA Islander, Cities Edge BBQ and Sweet Kernals Kettle Corn and Lemonade, all of Topeka, Grubs on Hubs of Eudora, We’re So Icey of Junction City and Nacho’s Mexican Food Truck of LaCygne. Whitten’s Light Up Toys of Eudora and TJ’s Bounce Rentals of Topeka will also provide fun for the kids.
There will also be a sand volleyball tournament starting at 9 a.m. that morning at the reservoir grounds’ sand volleyball court. Regular reservoir activities, such as swimming, boating, disc golf, fishing and kayak and paddleboat rentals will also be available that day.
The following evening, on Sunday, July 3, the city of Hoyt will host its annual Independence Day celebration in Hoyt City Park, with activities starting at 5 p.m. That’s when the Hoyt Fire Department will start serving hamburgers, pork burgers and hot dogs at the park’s basketball court until 7:30 p.m. or “until the food’s gone.”
At 5:30 p.m., Hoyt United Methodist Church will host its annual ice cream social, serving up homemade ice cream and desserts until 9:30 p.m. or the food runs out. Donations for both the fire department cookout and the ice cream social will be accepted at the park.
Activities for kids of all ages are also planned until the fireworks display, presented by the Hoyt Fire Department at dark. Other fireworks are not allowed in the park.
