Main Street will take on a Disney-like magic for a day next month as the 4th of July celebrations make a return!

The festival marks the town’s special centuries-old link with America and will include a spectacular parade with marching bands, striking custom-built floats, baton-twirling cheerleaders, colourful movie characters and leather clad bikers.

Thousands of visitors from Stateside choose Killarney as their favourite holiday destination every year and this is the town’s way of giving something back to mark the big US occasion.

“Just as our American friends celebrate St Patrick’s Day in style, we will do likewise to mark their Independence Day,” said 4th July Festival Chairman Diarmuid Leen.

“We are inviting everybody to come and celebrate with us and to do so in style,” he added.

The festivities on Monday, July 4 will get underway with the formal raising of the American Flag at the town hall with the Mayor of Killarney and the President of Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce presiding.

The Statue of Liberty will keep a close watch over Main Street with face-painters and street entertainers roaming the town while Killarney will be turned into Hollywood for a few glorious hours with everybody from Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin, Bonnie and Clyde, The Greatest Showman’s Bearded Lady and even a posse of fun-loving cowboys on the loose.

ENTERTAINMENT

Big bands and top quality singers will perform throughout the town all afternoon while a fun-filled street party will get into full swing with street fireworks and flame-throwers ready to light up the sky.

Thousands of people, many waving American flags, will line the streets of the town for the big parade, commencing at 7pm, and that will be followed by a lively hour-long Beat on the Street from 8pm.

Ireland’s multi-award winning soul performer Buck Taylor will entertain the masses at the Soul in the Park from 9pm and at 10 o’clock the celebrations will conclude in a fabulous fashion with an open air screening of the hit movie 'The Greatest Showman' on the lawns of Killarney House and Gardens.

The Killarney 4th of July celebration is organised by Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce with great support from Kerry County Council and Fáilte Ireland as well as sponsors Heineken.

Tickets for the open air events on the lawns of Killarney House and Gardens – including the Soul in the Park and the big screen production of 'The Greatest Showman' – will be free of charge and available on Eventbrite.ie from June 20. The gates will open at 8.30pm.