With City Fest gone, O’Fallon unveils new celebration of nation’s 250th

The City of O’Fallon may have canceled City Fest, but community leaders are not missing the opportunity to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with a full day of festivities set for July 3.

Police Chief Kirk Brueggeman and City Administrator Grant Litteken, members of the planning committee, said safeguards are in place for the event.

Daytime activities will be held at O’Fallon Community Park, featuring new rules and without carnival rides, followed by a fireworks extravaganza later that evening at Family Sports Park.

“Join us for O’Fallon’s America 250 Celebration as we commemorate 250 years of American history, community pride, and civic spirit! This once-in-a-generation event brings our community together for a full day of festivities leading up to our nation’s Semiquincentennial,” the committee announced on the city’s Facebook page.

“This celebration is all about celebrating our shared heritage, honoring our history, and creating new memories with family, friends, and neighbors. Mark your calendars and come be part of a community tradition you won’t want to miss,” the statement read.

Litteken said the event will begin at 10 a.m. and conclude at 5 p.m. at Community Park.

Live music and entertainment, food and drink from local vendors, interactive games, and family-friendly activities are planned. The event will begin with a parade overseen by Marci LaPolice, who has volunteered in the same role for many years at City Fest.

Brueggeman said he has attended planning meetings, and the police department is coordinating safety measures.

Organizers have decided not to allow unaccompanied minors at the event.

“This is going to be a family-friendly event. All minors must always be with an adult,” he said. He also emphasized that City Fest “is not coming back.”

Fireworks Over O’Fallon will take place at sundown at Family Sports Park, a tradition for the community. However, this year’s display will be larger than usual, according to Litteken.

The annual fireworks show began as a new tradition in 2019 and is typically held on July 3 at dusk, between 8 and 9 p.m. The event is free to the public. Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs.

Another special activity at Family Sports Park will include the planting of a Liberty Tree.

“We in parks and rec will plant a white oak tree over by the fitness park. We will place a marker by the tree noting that it is the Liberty Tree,” said Andrew Dallner, director of the parks and recreation department. He said the committee is currently planning the speech, unveiling, and other aspects of the ceremony, which are still in development.

Litteken said more details regarding schedules, vendors, and volunteer sign-ups will be shared as planning continues. People can stay updated on the event Facebook page.

Leaders stressed that the top priority is ensuring a safe, family-oriented event.

The decision to end the O’Fallon homecoming, which was resurrected as City Fest for nine years, came after disturbances at Community Park on Aug. 22-23 last year. Nine separate fights occurred, and police made 17 juvenile arrests for battery and disorderly conduct at or near the park.

“Public safety must always come first, and moving forward, every festival or gathering will be planned with that priority at the forefront,” Mayor Eric Van Hook said last summer.

“Our strongest concern is public safety. And it’s not just O’Fallon. These events attract outside attention,” he said.

The summer picnic often attracted 21,000 people over Friday and Saturday. Last year’s parade, themed “Nursery Rhymes,” had 65 groups and floats registered.

For the August event, police increased security measures by reducing hours on Saturday, installing extra lighting, increasing the police presence, and using drones for surveillance.

Afterward, police told the committee that any future event must be limited to one day, have no evening hours, and no rides.

Brueggeman said the biggest problem at larger gatherings had been unsupervised youths.

“It’s mainly 13- to 20-year-olds who show up and cause trouble,” he said. “It’s not just us. It’s happening everywhere.”

In the past, O’Fallon has hosted smaller outdoor events that have gone smoothly. No incidents have been reported at Downtown District Summer Nights, Vine Street Market, Independence Day fireworks, Bacon Fest, Veterans Day Parade, the Holiday Illuminated Parade, or Halloween events, he said.

Originally, the town’s homecoming started as a welcome-home party for soldiers returning from World War I; the event later became a fundraiser for the city’s park system.

O’Fallon Community Park is at 401 E. Fifth St. and Family Sports Park is at 301 Obernuefemann Road.