Independence Day is Saturday, so government offices will close Friday. Banks in Fayette will be open Friday and closed Saturday.

The weekend will kick off with the Independence Day Volleyball Tournament at the Fayette City Park sand volleyball court. The 12-team co-ed event will begin at 4 p.m. It is hosted by the Wendy Sunderland memorial committee, which on Sunday awarded its first scholarships to three Fayette High School graduates.


The annual July 4 Party in the Park will kick off at 10 a.m. with a parade through the Fayette City Park. Anyone interested in being a part of the parade should arrive at the Fayette High School lower parking lot by 9:30 a.m. Kathy Thogmorton, chief coordinator of the annual event, asks those participating to heavily decorate. Cars, trucks, scooters, golf carts, bikes, side-by-sides, horses, and other vehicles are welcome.


“We can’t do as much this year, but we can darn well decorate,” Thogmornton said.


While some things have changed this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there will still be activities in the park. Veterans will be honored at the lower shelter house following the parade. At least two food trucks will be open near the swimming pool. A DJ will provide music throughout the day from the lower shelter house and the band, Loaded Chamber, will play country music and 70s-era classic rock hits from 7 to 9 p.m. Picnic tables from that shelter house will be moved outside and spread out so that families may use them while adhering to social distancing guidelines.
Thogmorton said she expects all attendees and participants to wear masks. Masks and hand sanitizer will be available at various locations throughout the park. Volunteers will also be stationed at park entrances to hand out free glow-in-the-dark necklaces.
The park will still be open for anyone wishing to picnic or otherwise use the grounds.

Although the pool will remain closed, all other amenities at the park, including disc golf, horseshoe pits, sand volleyball, basketball courts, the skate park, the softball field, and playgrounds, will be open. 
The Party in the Park will not host frog and turtle races this year due to pandemic guidelines. However, Andy Cook, owner of Central Missouri Transmission, has generously stepped up to hold the children’s games in the parking lot of Derailed Commodity on the south edge of Fayette. Competitors are expected to bring their own frogs and turtles. Top finishers will take home prizes of $250, $100, and $50.

The Fourth of July Party in the Park will conclude with the annual fireworks display at dusk.