The Fourth of July in the southern Willamette Valley is set to showcase fireworks, baseball, a rodeo, and a parade, among other hometown patriotic events. Someone throw in an apple pie, and it won’t get much more American than that.
In Springfield …
It will be a sad day at Island Park on the Fourth, but a great day at Hamlin Field.
As the population swells during the event, traffic and safety concerns stemming from nearby Mill Street construction have put the brakes on the Light of Liberty fundraising family event, which is held annually there.
Meredith Clark, city relations with the Springfield Utility Board, said safety is a top priority at any event, “and that’s especially of an event of this size, much of which happens after dark.”
Team Springfield won’t let the Fourth fizzle out on their watch.
“Team Springfield partners worked together to find ways to shift the celebration, with Springfield Utility Board taking the lead,” said Brian Richardson, public information officer for the Springfield Public Schools.
The group is comprised of Springfield Public Schools, the Springfield Utility Board, the City of Springfield, and the Willamalane Park and Recreation District. They are partnering with the Drifters baseball team to showcase fireworks on July 3 at the Hamlin Field Sports Complex.
“This is the first time we’ve worked with the Springfield Drifters, and I know it won’t be the last. Like a lot of people, I’ve passed by the big sign on Pioneer Parkway East, but I had never been inside the facility,” Clark said. “It’s a gem hidden right in the heart of Springfield, and we’re glad to be able to shine a spotlight on it.”
The fireworks will follow the Drifters baseball game, and general admission tickets are 50% off.
“It’s our way of ensuring that families have an affordable, safe way to enjoy the Independence Day holiday,” Clark said.
City Manager Nancy Newton said, “Events like this highlight what’s possible when we work together to create meaningful, accessible experiences for the people we serve.”
“The Fourth of July has always been a time for celebration in our community, and even with all the changes happening around town, we’ve found a fun, welcoming, and affordable way to keep that tradition going,” Mayor Sean VanGordon said. “I can’t wait to celebrate with everyone on July 3.”
For tickets and more info, click here.
“Collaboration is what the group does best,” said Whitney Hoshaw, marketing and communications manager for Willamalane, adding that the team will continue “working together to find safe ways to celebrate together this summer.”
Hoshaw noted that while the LOL is off this year, many other events at Island Park are still able to go forward, as they have different logistical needs than Light of Liberty.
She suggests that anyone planning to visit Island Park or Willamalane Adult Activity Center this summer, especially for events, should check ahead for traffic details.
“Willamalane is keeping in close contact with the City, and as construction needs change, we’re sharing traffic updates on our website with additional options for attendees, including shuttles, public transportation options, accessible parking, and bike parking,” she said.
In Creswell …
Creswell has been hosting a Fourth of July parade since 1982 and continues to go all out to make it happen.
Michelle Melvin, community engagement specialist with the Creswell Chamber of Commerce, said that the Chamber expects the number of visitors to double due to Light of Liberty’s cancellation.
Which is good for Creswell, because there’s plenty to keep people busy.
The celebration will kick off with New Hope Baptist Church slinging breakfast from 8-10 a.m. at Holt Park, followed by events and entertainment throughout the day, including a Parade at 11 a.m. on Oregon Avenue, accompanied by an Air Force Aerial flyover.
“I am most excited to walk with the Babe Ruth Baseball Float as Creswell Babe Ruth AA Red won the 2025 Championship,” Melvin said. “My oldest son was on the champion team, and my other two sons played.” She is also looking forward to the flyover, as it “always gives me the most profound feeling of patriotism.”
To add to the patriotic atmosphere, the local Rosies, featured in an award-winning series in 2024, will participate in the parade. Readers may recall hearing the stories of Garette, Dorothy, Dolly, and Doreen about their service and strength during World War II.
At Hobby Field Airport, Young Eagle rides will start at 9 a.m. Registration opens on July 1 and closes at noon on July 3.
At Harry Holt Park, Richie G & Ma Beat will play from 9-11 a.m., and Rock N Rewind will perform from 1:30-3:30 p.m. The park will also be packed with local vendors, including Not Your Momma’s Tye Dye, Braver Angels, and the Southern Willamette Alliance, among others.
At Creswell High School, the Coupe de Ville Band will perform at 7 p.m., leading up to the fireworks show at dark.
Foodies can expect to see QualiServe serving a Greek-style menu of lamb, chicken, falafel, elephant ears, corn dogs, and garlic fries, while El Rincon del Taco will be serving Mexican food, including tacos, burritos, corn cobs, and aguas frescas.
The Creswell Grange will host a food and craft sale from 8 a.m.- 3 p.m. indoors and outdoors.
Pro tip: Creswell Grange restrooms are open to the public.
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A sidesaddle event from the Chamber activities, the Creswell Post Acute Hell on Hooves Tour Roughstock Rodeo will buck into town on the Fourth for a “Freedom Festival.”
The rodeo will be held in the field adjacent to Emerald Valley Dental, located at 195 Melton Road. Gates open at 1 p.m. and hooves hit the dirt at 3 p.m. There are 1,800 available for $10 at Farmlands Market, Country Farms and Ranch Supply, Schweitzers Western Wear, and Tannerite Sports Outlet.
Presented by Emerald National Laboratory, the producers travel the Pacific Northwest year-round, bringing rodeo events to all-sized communities and venues.
“But Creswell is more than just a stop on the tour — it’s home,” said Courtney Long. “For over 28 years, (we) have lived, worked, and raised (our) family here. Creswell is the heart of (our) business and the community (we) care deeply about.”
She said that the Hell on Hooves Tour draws from talent all over during the Fourth of July, which among rodeo cowboys and cowgirls is called “Cowboy Christmas, because there is no other single week during the year that there are more rodeos or more money to win than on the Fourth of July Rodeo Run,” she said.
Long said there will be cowboys competing from as far away as Arizona, Texas, California, Idaho, Montana, and Washington.
Aside from bull riding, saddle bronc riding, barrel racing, and muttin bustin’, Long said that this year they are adding an “electrifying twist with the world-famous freestyle motorcycle jumpers, The Metal Mulisha, which hold multiple X Games titles Long noted that there will be crowd management in place, special entrances and exits for emergency personnel if needed, as well as other protocols in place for staff and volunteers working the event.
Long’s father, Wayne White, is a longtime Creswell resident who has been the voice of the Eugene Pro Rodeo for over 32 years.
White, a Vietnam veteran, was drafted into the U.S. Army and served on the front lines in active combat.
“After witnessing the world beyond our borders, he’ll be the first to tell you – there’s no place more beautiful or more free than the United States of America,” Long said.
Courtney said her husband, Phil, has taken the Hell on Hooves Tour to communities all across the Pacific Northwest, “but it never sat right with him that his own hometown didn’t have that experience,” she said, adding that he thought the timing was right after her father’s recent final performance in Eugene.
“Phil saw an opportunity … to help boost the local economy by giving thousands of attendees another reason to stay in town,” and to offer additional entertainment opportunities, she said.
“The Hell on Hooves Tour is produced by people who hold God, Family, Country, and Community above all else. It’s only fitting that this event finds a home in Creswell—a town known for its epic Fourth of July parade and small-town spirit,” she said. “And nothing says ‘patriotism’ quite like Wayne White, rodeo, and a community coming together to celebrate freedom.”
