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Del City shortens Armed Forces Day Parade route, adds festival and fireworks
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Summary
City staff and chamber organizers presented a new roughly one‑mile parade route for the Armed Forces Day Parade, paired with a festival and sunset fireworks at Bill Eisenhower; police will implement traffic redirections starting at 7:00 a.m., and organizers said 30 vendors are confirmed with space for about 40.
The Del City Council on March 16 approved logistics for a reconfigured Armed Forces Day Parade and an associated one‑day festival, city and chamber officials said.
Joshua Schultz, the parade organizer, told the council the new route will begin west of the Bill Eisenhower building on Southeast 29th Street and run to Vicki Drive, shortening the march to about one mile from roughly 1.43 miles in prior years. Schultz said the shortened route reduces neighborhood closures and makes staging and traffic control simpler: roads on the route will be shut down beginning at 7:00 a.m., with Munster/Dave Smith Drive used for staging and traffic redirection.
Schultz said the change was driven by growth near former start locations and by construction at the high school, which will consume parking previously used for prior parade routes. He described staging and parking plans (volunteer and participant parking near Bill Eisenhower and Cash Saver) and said the city will keep a lane open for emergency response. "We're trying to keep a lane in between them... so in case we gotta navigate," Schultz said, describing lane use and turn lanes for float placement.
The festival planned at the parade terminus will include vendor rows on Epperly Drive, two rented 20-by-40 tents for shade and seating, three water stations, announcer platforms and food trucks. Schultz said 30 vendors have officially signed up with capacity for about 40 and that organizers expect to hold some vendor areas (including an overflow lot and a post office parking area for vendor load‑in). He noted vendor diversity concerns—"we don't want, like, five people selling Scentsy's"—and said staff will continue to screen applicants.
Organizers also plan a fireworks show at Bill Eisenhower at sunset; Schultz estimated sunset at about 8:38 p.m. and said the fireworks will begin after dark, probably between 8:30 and 9:00 p.m. He advised vendors they are not required to remain until a set time: "If it's dead at 5 p.m., I'm not gonna force you to stay," he said, adding that the festival will be promoted via the city newsletter and social media.
Council members asked staff to place police officers at busy intersections—including 28th and Sunny Lane—to manage pedestrian crossing and traffic flow, and discussed additional signage and maps to help participants find staging and return to vehicles. Schultz said organizers will post the presentation and route map online and in the city newsletter.
The council did not take a separate formal vote on the route at the meeting; the presentation was informational and organizers said they would return with final logistics as the event approaches.
