Reynoldsburg’s big Independence Day show is still on, but it will not be a come-one, come-all affair this year. The city is tightening access to its July 3 Civic Park fireworks and evening programming, limiting the event to Reynoldsburg residents and their guests and requiring everyone to wear a wristband. Residents have to pick up those wristbands before the show, a crowd-control move officials say is meant to avoid the kind of large, unruly swarm that shut down a nearby festival earlier in June.
How The New Rules Work
According to the City of Reynoldsburg, wristband distribution started June 23 at City Hall and the Reynoldsburg Police Department and will continue through July 2. Residents age 21 and older can pick up as many as eight wristbands per household with proof of residency, and city officials say they will work directly with households that need more than eight. Drivers will also receive parking passes at City Hall when they collect their wristbands.
What Prompted The Change
The new policy follows a June 5 brawl at the annual St. Catharine FunFest on the Columbus-Bexley line, where hundreds of teenagers converged, and several group fights broke out. As reported by The Columbus Dispatch, police arrested 11 people in connection with the incident, and organizers shut the festival down early.
Rules And Enforcement At Civic Park
Entry to the Civic Park viewing area will be funneled through gates where staff will check wristbands and screen bags, according to the City of Reynoldsburg. Organizers expect about 5,000 people and are planning live entertainment, food vendors, a kids' zone and a fireworks show. Anyone under 18 must come with a Reynoldsburg resident who is at least 21, and residents who walk to the park will be able to get wristbands at a designated pickup spot on the night of the event.
What Residents Should Know
Mayor Joe Begeny has said the changes are aimed at keeping the celebration safe and well managed, and city leaders are pressing parents to keep a closer eye on teens at community events. As The Columbus Dispatch noted, organizers and police moved quickly after the FunFest fights to clear the grounds and make arrests. Residents planning to attend the July 3 festivities should bring proof of residency when picking up wristbands and be ready for controlled gates and traffic-management measures around Civic Park.
