The Idaho Falls Police Department has released the following news release.
IDAHO GOES DOWN To assist community residents in preparing for the yearly Fourth of July celebrations in Idaho Falls, the Idaho Falls Police Department and its partner agencies are disseminating information, safety advice, and road closures.
At events like the Melaleuca Freedom Celebration, Riverbend Riverfest, and the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce Liberty on Parade, over 200,000 locals and tourists will commemorate our country’s freedom. The employees of the City of Idaho Falls are honored to support the organizations that organize these events.
To guarantee a fun and safe Independence Day, everybody attending these events is urged to make advance plans.
GENERAL RULES
In case of an emergency, dial 911. For real emergencies, please keep 911 lines open. For non-emergent situations, call (208) 529-1200 to reach public safety. Go to the IFPD post at the events (see below) or flag down one of the Idaho Falls Police Officers or Idaho Falls Fire & EMS personnel roving through the events if you are attending the parade, Riverfest, or the Freedom Celebration and are unable to successfully place or receive phone calls or text messages due to the congestion surrounding the events.
Any criminal behavior should be reported. On July 4th, all Idaho Falls Police Department officers, emergency communications officers, and numerous other IFPD employees will be at work.
As officers respond as fast as possible to service requests and other safety and criminal issues throughout the day, we appreciate the patience of the public.
LIBERTY ON PARADE
Liberty on Parade, the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce’s annual Fourth of July parade, kicks off Thursday, July 4th, at 9 a.m. The parade route starts at the intersection of 4th Street and South Holmes Avenue, close to Idaho Falls High School, and goes west on 4th Street before turning south on South Boulevard and ending at the intersection of South Boulevard and Rogers Street.
Police officers from Idaho Falls will be riding bicycles and walking the parade route and the surrounding neighborhood. IFPD officers will be stationed at the intersection of South Boulevard and 10th Street, close to Common Cents. See the blue canopy of the Idaho Falls Police.
Hours before the parade begins, people line the parade path and pedestrian foot traffic starts.Residents can anticipate dealing with clogged roads, crowds, and pedestrians if they are traveling within a mile or less of the parade route. Drivers are encouraged to exercise caution in the area and to stay away from it if they are not going to the procession.
After 5 a.m. on July 4th, parking along the parade route is prohibited until after the event is over. Anybody who leaves a car parked in the parade staging area or along the parade route after five in the morning runs the risk of receiving a ticket and/or having their car towed.
Visit our website for a complete list of roads that will be closed because of the parade.
RIVERFEST & FREEDOM CELEBRATION
Snake River Landing hosts the yearly Melaleuca Freedom Celebration and Riverfest. Visit each event organizer’s website for complete information about their schedule, parking information, etc.
Early in the afternoon, crowds start to assemble at Snake River Landing, and they keep getting bigger throughout evening. Every year, more than 200,000 people congregate in and around Snake River Landing to witness the fireworks show, according to event organizers.
Cell phone service at Snake River Landing becomes unstable in the early to late evening due to the enormous number of people in the vicinity, and this situation persists until after the fireworks have passed and most of the guests have left. Participants should anticipate that they won’t be able to make phone calls or send texts during this time. Talking about safety procedures with the kids and adults in your group is a good idea. You should cover topics like child safety, where to meet if you get separated, and where to go for emergency help at the event if you can’t phone 911.
Throughout the event, Idaho Falls police officers will be moving throughout Snake River Landing on foot and by bicycle. For Riverfest and the Melaleuca Freedom Celebration, an IFPD officer and staff manned station will be set up at the northeast corner of Snake River Parkway and Event Center Drive beginning in the early afternoon. See the blue canopy of the Idaho Falls Police.
Please note that Snake River Landing is private property, although the location is open to the public. In order to guarantee a fun and secure celebration, attendees are urged to show consideration for private property and to cooperate with all Snake River Landing employees, private security, and City of Idaho Falls workers. If someone is observed breaking the law, they may be asked to leave. The following guidelines are in place during the event to ensure everyone’s safety and minimize any possible interference with the fireworks display:
NO PERSONAL FIREWORKS: The Fire Marshal has prohibited all personal fireworks, including sparklers, from Lochsa Drive south to Sunnyside Drive and from the Capital Avenue River Walk west to the Porter Canal due to the location of the fireworks launch site and Riverfest, the extremely crowded and grassy areas surrounding Snake River Landing, and for the safety of those attending the event.
NO DRONES: Residents are reminded that owing to the presence of helicopters in the airspace, it is not permitted to fly drones in the area surrounding Snake River Landing on July 4th. They are also asked not to fly drones during any of the Independence Day celebrations. Personal drone use puts first responders using drones in emergency circumstances and helicopters that have reserved airspace with the FAA in danger.
NO ALCOHOL: Snake River Landing has a zero-tolerance policy for alcohol due to the property owners and event organizers.
NO ATVs: At Snake River Landing, no private ATVs, dirt bikes, go carts, or other motorized vehicles will be allowed.
WATER SAFETY: The Snake River, canals, and other water features in and near Snake River Landing are all places where people are encouraged to avoid going. On a hot day, the waterways can seem cool, but they are full of hidden hazards, and the water levels are rising quickly. Additives in Snake River Landing’s water features could be harmful to both humans and animals.
EMERGENCY TRAFFIC: To enable prompt and safe response by public safety professionals, keep emergency vehicle lanes open. Please take precautions to allow public safety officers, whether on foot, bicycle, or in a car, to pass through as soon as possible.
PARKING INFORMATION
Attendees of the Melaleuca Freedom Celebration should not expect to gain entry to Snake River Landing at the last minute and should arrive early. For suggested parking locations based on your destination after the fireworks, attendees should consult the Parking & Exiting Map that the event organizers have given. The website of the event organizers also offers special parking arrangements for people with disabilities. Following the conclusion of the fireworks, each parking lot’s traffic will go in a specific direction. Make sure the parking lot you select will go out in the direction you need to go once the event is over.
There is no parking in any unmarked places. To ensure that emergency vehicles have access to the whole event area, please park only in the designated spots or lots. On July 4th, parking on Snake River Pkwy, Pioneer Road, Event Center Drive, Sunnyside between I-15 and Yellowstone Hwy, and Yellowstone Hwy between Sunnyside and Pancheri is prohibited at all times. Parking in these spots puts a car at danger of being towed or cited.
Through collaborations with Melaleuca, Snake River Landing, the Idaho Transportation Department, Idaho State Police, Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Idaho Falls, and the Idaho Falls Police Department, intricate traffic strategies have been implemented. These partners put in a lot of time planning and organizing these activities in the months before the event.
As people leave the Snake River Landing area after the fireworks, traffic strategies have been developed to optimize efficiency and safety. It will take time to develop the most effective traffic exit arrangements because of the hundreds of thousands of people attending this event. Attendees should allow up to two hours for their departure. Certain parking lots will permit quicker departures to specific areas, while routes within and surrounding Idaho Falls will be restricted. You can find out more about parking lot designations here.
Remember to exercise patience in slow-moving traffic because of the city’s significantly larger population. Drivers should slow down, focus on driving, avoid distractions, watch for pedestrians, and bicyclists, obey all traffic laws, special holiday parking and traffic restrictions. Community members andvisitors should not move or drive around traffic control devices for any reason. In addition to causing more delays, doing so could put you and other people in risk. Residents are reminded to follow police and appointed traffic authorities’ instructions.
Drivers traveling to or in the area of Snake River Landing should expect numerous road closuresbeginning Wednesday, July 3rd and continuing until early morning on July 5th.
South Tourist Park and Ryder Park serve as command posts for emergency personnel. In order for emergency vehicles to respond quickly in the event of an emergency, South Tourist Park and Ryder Park will be closed to all public vehicles, boats & campers/RVs beginning July 3rd at 11:00 a.m. South Tourist Park and the adjacent River Walk/Greenbelt will remain open for foot/bicycle traffic. The parks will reopen to vehicles, boats, and camping at noon on July 5th.
Visit our website for a complete list of roads that will be closed because of the parade.
Pedestrians and bicyclists leaving Snake River Landing are asked not to cross Sunnyside in any locationother than designated crossing areas indicated by event signage. Visibility is low and pedestrian safety isa significant concern. Besides causing delays to traffic flow exiting the event, there are vehicle versuspedestrian near misses each year due to pedestrians crossing traffic in an unsafe manner.
Idaho Falls is fortunate to have the caliber of parade, firework show, and celebrations taking place in ourcommunity each year, made possible through the hard work and coordination of many community partners. The Idaho Falls Police Department, and our partners, are looking forward to safe and enjoyable Independence Day celebrations for our community members.
