The Village of Oak Park | 123 Madison St.  Oak Park, IL 60302 | village@oak-park.us

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Public health officials remain cautious, cancel July 4th parade

June 3, 2021 - Local public health officials continue to take a cautious approach to large events as Oak Park moves toward further loosening restrictions put in place to combat COVID-19, including canceling this year’s  July 4th parade.

Officials say that while they anticipate that many traditional activities will continue to normalize in July, hosting large events at this time still is not recommended.

Calling canceling the parade the cautious thing to do, officials noted that the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to stress that anyone who is not fully vaccinated remains at risk of contracting and spreading the virus.

Local public health officials say they anticipate moving toward a full re-opening of the Village later this month if local and state COVID-19 rates remain on track as outlined in Phase 5 of the Restore Illinois plan. Moving into Phase 5 should create opportunities to plan for community events in the fall, they say.

Emerging from the pandemic is not a sprint, officials say, and taking precautions now hopefully will help ensure a safe return in the not-too-distant future to the types of large community events many have missed over the past year.

The community fireworks display has never been a Village-sponsored event, but was presented by a local not-for-profit organization. The Village Board is required to approve a permit for such exhibitions. No applications for a permit were filed this year or in 2020.

More information on local vaccination efforts is posted at www.oak-park.us/vaccine.