Maricopa’s 4th of July celebration will be “great”

Maricopans can look forward to a “great” Independence Day celebration Wednesday. Whether it’s great all-you-can-eat barbeque, great water fun or great fireworks–Maricopa’s first ever–the Great American Barbeque celebration has something for everyone.

The City of Maricopa’s Parks, Recreation and Libraries (PRL) Department will host the Great American Barbeque at Pacana Park from 5:30-9:30 p.m.

Free, family events will be offered during the celebration, including a wiffleball tournament, a water zone and watermelon seed spitting and pie-eating contests.

Those events will be followed by a movie in the park and Maricopa’s first ever fireworks display at dusk. The show will be larger than planned since the cancellation of the Salsa Festival’s display gave the city a credit for the Great American Barbeque.

In anticipation of a large crowd there will be overflow parking at Stage Stop Market Place and Rotary Park, both located off the Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway. Arizona Shuttle will provide transportation to and from these areas beginning at 4:30 and ending at 10 p.m.

Community of Hope church will be holding a canned food drive during the celebration. Donations of canned food, packaged dinners, peanut butter, pasta, cake mix and cereal are earmarked for needy families in Maricopa. Residents are asked to bring at least one item to the collection point by the pump house, northwest of the soccer field off Allen Stephens Parkway.

The all-you-can-eat full barbeque costs $10 for adults and $5 for kids.

If you go:

What: July 4th Great American Barbeque
When: 5:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Where: Pacana Park on Porter Road