North Canton celebrates Fourth of July with parade, live music and fireworks

NORTH CANTON – The North Canton community turned out for the annual Fourth of July parade, celebrating Independence Day and the North Canton community with dance troupes, eclectic vehicles and displays from local organizations. 

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The parade, which ran along 7th Street NE to Main Street to Harmon Street SW and ended at North Canton Middle School, was hosted by the North Canton Jaycees and sponsored by Pond Wiser.

"It was fantastic, had a great turnout," Casey White, North Canton Jaycee treasurer and chair of the Fourth of July parade said. "We had a lot more participants than last year. It was overall great."

The Jaycees are a young professionals organization that sponsors a number of community events, including a safety fair, Easter egg hunt, annual fair and Special Olympics.

"The parade represents those from all walks of life and provides a reflection of North Canton's unified spirt," the Jaycees organizers wrote about the event. 

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Through their events, the Jaycees raise money and collect donations to further their philanthropic causes. Parade participants were asked, though not required, to bring donations of nonperishable food and personal care items to support the SAM Center in Massillon, which supports area veterans, active-duty service members and their families. 

White said about half of the more than 40 participants brought donations, specifically canned goods.

"It's great being able to organize these community events for the city of North Canton," White said. "Especially over the last couple years with COVID and with any recent events in Akron and everything else like that, it's great being able to put on these events and have the community come out and have the community support."

Their most recent event, the North Canton Jaycee Fair, helped raise the money to cover this year's Fourth of July Firework show, which Jaycees community development Vice President Abigail Tanner previously told the CantonRep costs about $13,000.

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The Fourth of July festivities continue through the day in North Canton, with food vendors and family entertainment beginning at 5 p.m. at Hoover High School, as well as live music from The Scenic Route at 7 p.m. The evening will end with a firework show.