WALKER – While a lot of Fourth of July celebrations have been canceled, the City of Walker's is still on.

“I’m ecstatic. So many people are cooped up with nothing to do, and this is going to get a lot of people out. It's safer to be outside,” Tracy Baron said.

Baron lives across the street from Sidney Hutchinson Park where the annual Independence festivities will be taking place. He watches the fireworks show in his front lawn.

“All of my neighbors move up to the front of the neighborhood. We eat, sit in lawn chairs and watch it. It’s a good time every year,” Baron said.

But for many others, they’ll be making their way inside the park. A live band will be playing at 5 p.m., and people will be able to purchase food. The Fourth of July celebration is typically a large event in Walker, and the mayor is anticipating it to be big again this year despite the pandemic.

Jimmy Watson told WBRZ he expects up to 3,000 people to attend, like in past years. He says there will be some safety precautions put in place. For example, signs asking people to social distance have already been placed around the park.

“They could spray paint the circles on the ground likely they do in some areas and socially distance that way, but there’s plenty of room to distance out there,” Baron said.

In total, Sidney Hutchinson Park spans about 65 acres. The State Fire Marshal’s Office says there is no outdoor head count limitation at the state level. Deputies will be there to make sure there are crowd managers tasked with ensuring appropriate social distancing.

The park opens at 3 p.m., and the fireworks are expected to go off when it’s dark. There will be a shuttle offered to bring people to the park from Walker High School. Social distancing guidelines will be in effect in those shuttles.