July 4, 2012 - 2:20pm

As of 2:20pm, the City of Tallahassee says that the Celebrate America event at Tom Brown Park is still on.

Also note that you can park at the Koger Center and ride StarMetro to Tom Brown Park for free.

Stay with WCTV for updates on the weather.

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July 4, 2012 -

Florida's Capital City is getting ready to celebrate America's birthday with a big party. The fun begins tonight at Tom Brown Park. The party begins at 5:30 this evening with a welcoming ceremony.

Shortly after the welcoming at 5:45pm, there will be a naturalization ceremony for new American citizens.

There will also be musical entertainment tonight. It begins with at 6:30pm with the Royce Lovett Band and what the band calls "cerebral soul". Another band with a decidedly local flavor called "4:35 On A Thursday" performs at 7:30pm on this Wednesday. Leon County High School Performing Arts students started that band. The feature act tonight is "The Fabulous Thunderbirds" with hits like "Tuff Enuff" and :"Wrap It Up". The Fabulous Thunderbirds begin playing at 8:30pm.

The fireworks show finishes the evening and they begin at about 9:45 tonight.

There will also be a children's area, including a water slide, arts and crafts.

There's limited parking available here at the park. However, there is a free shuttle service from the Koger Center on Capital Circle Southeast.

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June 27, 2012 -

Get ready, Tallahassee, to Celebrate America with the annual July 4 festival at Tom Brown Park. The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. with the welcoming ceremony, followed by the always-moving naturalization ceremony for new American citizens. This year's musical highlight will be a free concert with the FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS featuring KIM WILSON. And, as always, the skies will light up after the concert with a spectacular fireworks display, sponsored by Your Own Utilities, the #1 public utility in America.

While adults will enjoy the music, arts and crafts vendors and tasty treats from local food vendors, Celebrate America also features a special area just for the kids. To beat the heat, kids will enjoy water-based activities including really large slip and slides and other water slides. Arts and crafts, supervised games and bounce houses will be available, too.

StarMetro, the City's mass transit system, will offer free shuttles to Tom Brown Park from the Koger Office Center beginning at 5:30 p.m. Passengers are reminded to park at the Koger complex on Capital Circle Southeast, just south of Old St. Augustine Road. Return shuttles back to Koger begin once the fireworks show is over.

Basic rules for the Celebrate America event include:

- All vehicular access to Tom Brown Park, except for the StarMetro shuttles, will be closed at 8:30 p.m. or earlier according to parking availability.
- no personal fireworks (including sparklers), grills or personal alcoholic beverages are allowed;
- no personal tents are permitted in the amphitheater;
patrons using the StarMetro shuttle are advised that coolers larger than 12 quarts will not be permitted on buses;
- no pets (except service animals) are permitted on the StarMetro shuttle or at the Celebrate America event;
- The dog park at Tom Brown Park will close at sunset on July 3 and reopen at sunrise on July 5;
- The disc golf course at Tom Brown Park will remain open for limited use, with some holes not playable due to Celebrate America activities.