The city of Covington will have its 2011 Independence in the Park festival on Sunday.
The square will be decorated with patriotic banners and the courthouse is decorated as it was almost a century ago.
The square and one block off the square will be blocked off beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday. Usher Street and Stalling Street will be closed beginning at 2 p.m. on Sunday to prepare for the fireworks. All roads will remain closed until after the event.
If you are driving to the festival, you can park at the Newton County parking deck on Elm Street, the city of Covington parking lot next to the Lofts on Church Street, or the city parking lot off Emory Street. Handicap parking is available beside the Newton County Administration building on Elm Street.
The festival will be staged by Main Street Covington, the city of Covington and McKibben Music. Sponsorship donations were by Commissioner Tim Fleming of District 5, Little Caesar's Pizza and Bulldog Tire.
Additional donations will be taken by McKibben Music in the form of a raffle. Raffle tickets for a chance to win a Peavey HP Signature Blues guitar valued at $799.99 will cost $5.
Bring lawn chairs and picnic meals, or you can buy meals from downtown restaurants.
There will be booths and entertainment around the square.
The musical show will begin with the first band starting at 3:30 p.m. and the last starting at 8:25 p.m.
Kerry Livgren, former band member of the group Kansas, will be honored with a plaque and a key to the City of Covington for the contributions that he made to the music and arts over the years.
A firework display is scheduled to immediately follow the last set.
On Monday, the Newton County Community Band directed by T.K. Adams will play a concert of patriotic music from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.