Date/Time
July 4
8:00 pm
Details
There’s a new look and new feel for events this year. One of Sugar Land’s largest community events — Red, White and Boom — is going virtual!
This year, Sugar Land’s virtual Fourth of July Celebration will be taking place on Saturday, July 4, at 8 p.m. A pre-recorded video will feature local residents, businesses and city staff showcasing community pride before reflecting on video footage from past years’ event programming and fireworks finales.
The city is inviting the public to send in short videos capturing individuals and groups reciting the Pledge of Allegiance (United States and Texas pledges). Videos (filmed in landscape mode and sent to parkrec@sugarlandtx.gov by June 25 at 5 p.m.) will be used to create a video collage that will be played on July 4. The goal is to capture and feature as many people as possible to create a community wide virtual viewing party.
The city is also offering a Patriotic Take Home Party Package for residents to enjoy. The package will include decorating supplies and patriotic accessories, crafts and activities, guides/brochures of Sugar Land’s businesses providing curbside pick-up and delivery, and much more.
The packages are designed for a family of four and may be purchased for $8 plus tax. Pre-orders may be placed at www.sugarlandtx.gov/july4, and they will be available for pickup by appointment June 29 through July 2, from 8 a.m.to 8 p.m., at the Imperial Park Recreation Center, 234 Matlage Way.
“Our ‘Red, White and Boom’ event is a spectacular annual tradition for our city to gather together with family, friends and neighbors to celebrate the Fourth of July, and making the decision to cancel in-person activities this year was extremely difficult,” said City Manager Michael W. Goodrum. “Ultimately, the safety of Sugar Land residents and visitors is the most important factor in all of our decisions during these unprecedented times, and we hope that the community will understand this decision and join us virtually this year.”
The decision to cancel the event was made in regular consultation with Dr. Joe Anzaldua, the city of Sugar Land’s local health authority.
“With our Fourth of July event regularly attracting about 20,000 people, an in-person event is simply not safe this year,” said Anzaldua. “Due to the uncertainty of asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic COVID-19 transmission, I strongly advise against large gatherings unless social distancing can be enforced. This just isn’t possible with an event of this nature. Many other cities in our region have come to the same conclusion after working closely with my peers in the medical community.
“The threat of COVID may be with us for the foreseeable future, so we must adapt and adjust to keep our community safe, including our most vulnerable populations. Until we have a vaccine, we must learn to live with the threat of this disease and ensure that safety is at the forefront of our decisions.”
In addition to July Fourth, other virtual activities will take place throughout the summer including a virtual summer series centered around July’s Park and Recreation month. For more information about the virtual events planned or to become an event sponsor, contact Sugar Land Parks and Recreation at (281) 275-2825, visit www.SugarLandTX.gov/Parks, or follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @SugarLandParks.
