Independence Day in Rutherford County includes firework shows and annual Rockvale picnic

• Smyrna will celebrate Independence Day July 3 at Lee Victory Recreation Park
• Murfreesboro's 'Music Under the Stars' will be July 4 at the Fountains at Gateway
• La Vergne will celebrate July 4 at Veterans Memorial Park
• The 97th annual Rockvale July 4 Picnic will be at the Rockvale Community Club southwest of Murfreesboro

We the people of Rutherford County will have varying Independence Day celebrations to consider July 3 and 4.

The annual Smyrna festival for Independence Day will start at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Lee Victory Recreation Park, 110 Sam Ridley Parkway. The event includes food and drink venders, live music and inflatables. The fireworks show will start at dark.

Murfreesboro's "Celebration Under The Stars" event will start at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at the Fountains at Gateway, 1500 Medical Center Parkway. The first three hours of the event organized by the Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation Department includes food trucks, a splash pad and a DJ followed by live entertainment by Craig Campbell at 7:30 p.m. The fireworks show will start at 9 p.m.

The Murfreesboro event also for safety purposes will not be permitting pets, alcoholic beverages, cooking grills and personal fireworks or sparklers.

The La Vergne Independence Day celebration is scheduled on July 4 every year at Veterans Memorial Park, 115 Floyd Mayfield Drive. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. Thursday for the free event that includes fireworks, live music from Zone Status and other fun activities. Families are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs and their own picnic dinners or enjoy food vendor options. The fireworks show will begin when it's dark.

Fireworks are allowed to be shot off within city limits of La Vergne from 9 a.m.-10 p.m. July 2 through July 5. On July 4, those times are extended to 11 p.m. Anyone wishing to report fireworks being discharged outside of the allotted times may contact the La Vergne Police Department at 615-793-7744.

Independence Day celebrations:July 4 celebrations abound in Rutherford County from fireworks to picnics

Rockvale celebrates July 4 with 'oldest annual celebrated picnic in the state of Tennessee'

The 97th annual July 4 Picnic organized by the Rockvale Ruritan Club will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday at the Rockvale Community Center, 9972 Rockvale Road, Rutherford County Commissioner Pettus Read announced during a June 24 meeting.

"This is the oldest celebrated annual picnic in the state of Tennessee," said Read, who represents the Rockvale community southwest of Murfreesboro.

Although the community center had significant tree damage from the May 8 storm, the Rockvale event will have tents and bouncy houses set up, Read said.

"There's lots of food for everybody," Read said.

The picnic will be offering fried pies, hamburgers, barbecue, Konia Ice, ice cream, cookies and soft drinks, according to the Rockvale Ruritan Club website.

The website also mentions the event including a hay ride, music, a corn hole tournament and off-site parking transportation.

Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@dnj.com. To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription.