Clawson Fourth of July Parade: What You Need to Know

The Fourth of July festivities will kick off Wednesday with a pancake breakfast from 7-11 a.m. at ; Firecracker Mile Run from 7:45-9 a.m. at Clawson Shopping Center on West 14 Mile Road; and the annual parade. Here are some things you need to know this morning before heading out the door.

Road Closures

At about 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, 14 Mile Road (between Crooks Road and Main Street) will be closed for the Firecrack Mile Run. And by 8:30 a.m. Main Street (between 14 Mile and West Elmwood) and West Elmwood (between Main Street and Bywood) will be closed. Roads will open back up immediately following the parade. 

Parade Viewing

Spectators can watch the parade anywhere along the route, which travels east on 14 Mile, turning north on Main Street and then west on Elmwood. Many people mark their viewing spots early, arriving between 6-8 a.m. Parade directors say the shady areas go first.

An alternate route for Main Street could be Rochester Road, which also runs north and south.

Parade Participants

If you are in the parade, participants should meet in the Clawson Shopping Center parking lot between 7:30-8 a.m. There will also be a bus that takes parade participants from to the shopping center. The bus will be making multiple trips. Any participants who have not heard from organizer Deb Wooley are asked to email her at dwooley@dykema.com.

Parking

Traffic and parking will be chaotic Wednesday, particularly before the parade and the fireworks, which attract thousands. Many people park on the side streets or in the parking lots of closed businesses along 14 Mile and Main Street.

Weather

The National Weather Service predicts partly cloudy skies with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Temperatures are expected to reach record highs of 95-99 degrees with heat index values up to 105.

Keep checking the Clawson Patch for details on how you can spend your entire Fourth of July in Clawson and all the details about the big fireworks show.

Correction: 14 Mile Road (between Crooks Road and Main Street) will close at 7:30 a.m.