In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and recommendation by the City of Greensboro, the Fun Fourth Festival in Downtown Greensboro has been canceled. This patriotic, family-friendly tradition will return in 2021.

“The Fun Fourth Festival events draw thousands of participants each year and take months to plan. Given our uncertainty for what the summer months hold with regards to this pandemic, we have made this heartbreaking decision to cancel for 2020,” said Zack Matheny, President and CEO of Downtown Greensboro, Inc. (DGI), the event organizer. “While I’m incredibly disappointed to not hold this annual summer tradition in our center city this year, I completely understand the need to be extra cautious for the sake of our community.”

Downtown Greensboro’s 2020 Fun Fourth Festival would have been held July 3-4 and included a freedom race, street festival, and American block party & fireworks show in First National Bank Stadium.

“Given the current circumstances we agree with Downtown Greensboro’s decision to prioritize the health and well-being of our community,” said Mayor Nancy Vaughan. “We know DGI considered every aspect of how to hold Fun Fourth and we respect the difficult decision they had to make.”

“City officials will look for a suitable location for a fireworks display where residents can maintain social distance while celebrating Independence Day,” she added. 

It’s also the hope of both DGI and the City to hold a “Re-Opening of Downtown Greensboro” street festival at a later date in the summer or even in the fall.

“Our small businesses are truly suffering right now,” Matheny said. “Celebrating their reopening in grand style shows them just how important they are to the Greensboro community as a whole.”