It’s hard to believe that July is almost here already. But we are very excited to gear up for the annual fireworks display and 4th of July fun, brought to you by Main Street Covington. This year, the event has been re-branded as the Covington Stars & Stripes Fest, and we’ve got an entire day of patriotic family-fun planned on the Downtown Covington square.
For those who are fans of locally-lensed series In the Heat of the Night, or what we call “Heat Seekers,” there is one special star who will be in attendance at this year’s event. Maureen Dowdell, known best for her role as Nurse Tracey Boggs on the popular tv series, is going to be joining us on the square to take part in the festivities, including our famous fireworks finale!
Our square welcomes more and more visitors each year to this annual 4th of July celebration, with more than 10,000 people gathering to see the fireworks display behind our iconic courthouse & clocktower. For those of you who are planning to attend this year’s event, here’s a guide to the top 5 viewing spots for fireworks in Downtown Covington to enjoy this awe-inspiring event finale.
Square Park
If you don’t mind sharing a spot on the lawn with thousands of people from far and wide, then the Square Park is for you. Make sure you grab your seat early before all of the good spots get taken. We recommend camping chairs or blankets to aid in your seating comfort throughout the evening. Once you’ve settled in to your viewing spots for the fireworks, you’ll be able to enjoy the show and take as many photos as your heart desires! And don’t forget to take a patriotic courthouse selfie at our newly installed selfie spot in the Square Park.
Mystic Grill Rooftop
To see the fireworks show up-close and personal, then spend the evening with a few appetizers and cocktails on the rooftop of the Mystic Grill. Visitors to the rooftop must pay to play and enjoy the fireworks from this spot, but it’s totally worth it!
Irish Bred Pub Patio Balcony
The Irish Bred Pub is another option for a pay to play during this celebration, but provides another fantastic vantage point to see the fireworks display and the courthouse in its entirety. By sitting on the patio balcony at the Irish Bred, you can take it all in by watching the crowd, enjoying a brew, and then watching the evening’s finale and fireworks show.
Top of the Parking Deck
This spot is another perfect viewing place to watch the fireworks from up high. The parking deck off the square is located on Elm Street, and provides another great place for your viewing pleasure. Pack up the car with a few of your closest friends, and create your own tailgate party to watch the show from the top of the deck.
Newton Plaza
Believe it or not, last year we had so many visitors come to our town to attend the 4th of July event and watch our fireworks, there was a huge overflow of people who migrated to the Newton Plaza just to see the show. If you aren’t a big fan of crowds, and want to make a quick getaway after the fireworks finale, then we suggest propping up a chair or tailgating at this location. The Newton Plaza is the shopping center and parking lot on US-278 that includes Kroger and Chick-fil-A.
Morgan Plaza
Across the street from Newton Plaza is the Morgan Plaza and parking lot, which is also a great place to sit back and watch the show with ease. This vantage point would allow you to watch the fireworks from behind the historic courthouse, and also has easy access to US-278 once the finale is over.
In addition to these popular viewing vantage points, many of our square merchants & restaurants offer outdoor seating on the square sidewalk of the square, so you can enjoy the event and admire the fireworks while eating a delicious meal. We also have a variety of great area hotels for a convenient night’s stay, including the brand new Holiday Inn Express and newly renovated La Quinta Inn & Suites. Both of these locations are absolutely beautiful, and their friendly staff would love to welcome you.
Don’t forget to use the hashtag #CovGA4th during the event to stay connected with us and other event visitors. You can also view last year’s shared content with #4thOnTheSquare, so keep the engagement going with this hashtag as well! We are super excited to welcome visitors from near and far to this year’s event, beginning at 2:30 on Tuesday, July 4th. You’ll get the Hollywood treatment and feel like a star at the Stars & Stripes Fest, only in the original Hollywood of the South™!
