Fanfare & Flight

Fanfare & Flight

Kick off your Independence Day weekend celebrations early on Thursday, July 2, in Centennial Park. Fanfare & Flight is an free evening of live music from the Iowa Brass band, followed by a 15-minute aerial light show from 150 choreographed drones.

The evening is free, thanks to North Liberty’s City Slate partners. Bring your blankets and lawn chairs to enjoy this family-friendly program under the stars.

July 2 Schedule

7:00 p.m.
Food vendors open
Interact with City Slate sponsors
Enjoy Centennial Park’s multiple playgrounds

8:00 to 9:30 p.m.
Iowa Brass band on Hy-Vee Amphitheater’s stage

9:30 to 9:45 p.m.
Aerial light show above Centennial Park (150 choreographed drones)

10:30 p.m.
Grounds close

What to expect from the aerial light show

Attendees can look forward to seeing 150 choregraphed drones create 13 scenes in the sky north of the park. The animated images will celebrate America, summer staples, our local community and schools. The display is coordinated with music, will begin at 9:30 p.m., and last approximately 15 minutes. Below are a few examples without giving all the surprises away.

Parking

• Onsite paved and limited grass parking is free for this event; however, we encourage carpooling so we can accommodate as many attendees as possible.
• A shuttle will also be available from GreenState Credit Union, located 1.5 miles away, located at 2355 Landon Rd, North Liberty. It will be free to park and shuttle between 7:00 and 10:30 p.m.
• Skip the car and walk or bike to the park! Grass space will be reserved for bike parking.

Food & Beverage

A variety of food vendors will be onsite: Fried Sweets & Treats, Moo Moos Ice Cream, Hy-Vee, Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck, Kona Ice and Pizza Ranch.

Alcohol will not be for sale and is not permitted in the park for this event.

You also may be wondering

• This event is in lieu of the fireworks display that has taken place in Penn Meadows Park the past three years.
• While an aerial show is much quieter than fireworks, we still ask that you leave your dogs at home due to large expected crowds.
• Permanent restrooms, as well as portable toilets, will be available in Centennial Park.
• While food will be available for purchase, attendees are also welcome to bring picnics, but a friendly reminder that alcohol is prohibited.
• The use of tobacco, nicotine, vape, and other electronic smoking devices are prohibited in North Liberty parks, trails, and public recreation areas.

Add your items to a time capsule

As the United States celebrates 250 years of history in 2026, The Gazette is coordinating a time capsule that will be sealed this July and opened again in 2076. The Gazette will have at booth at our July 2 event to collect items to be considered for the capsule, with hopes to spotlight the everyday items and local stories that seem ordinary now, but could feel dramatically different – or surprisingly familiar – 50 years from today. From everyday objects and local stories to hopes, predictions, and cultural pieces that define this moment in time, the capsule will preserve a snapshot of eastern Iowa today and what we imagine the future might hold. Examples of acceptable items are outlined here.

North Liberty’s City Slate

This event is part of North Liberty’s City Slate, a yearlong schedule of events is made possible by Collins Community Credit Union, Corda Credit Union, Hills Bank, McGrath Toyota of Iowa City, Pizza Ranch, The Eastern Iowa Airport – CID, South Slope Cooperative Communications, University of Iowa Health Care and Urban Acres Real Estate.