CLAY COUNTY – Moosehaven and Keystone Heights will be filled with celebration, games, entertainment, food and, of course, fireworks for this year’s Independence Day celebrations.

This year’s theme for Keystone Heights’ Our Country Day will be “One Nation.” It starts on Saturday morning with 5K run at 8 a.m. Other activities include a volleyball tournament, arts, crafts and food vendors, poker run, raffles, baby crawl and watermelon-eating contests, and live music. The highlights of the day-long festival is the annual parade on Lawrence Boulevard at 11 a.m. and fireworks at Keystone Beach at 9:30 p.m.

According to the city, in years past the parade has always featured a marching band, floats, bicycles, Shriners, buggies, bicycles, beauty queens, tractors, clowns and more surprises. Prizes are awarded to units for such categories as closest to the theme, commander’s choice, the best marching band and others.

Admission to Keystone Beach is $1. Visitors can purchase the armbands at the beach from 10 a.m. to noon and 5 p.m. until the beginning of the fireworks show.

Our Country Day started in 1969 when Mayor Ray Starnes gathered local citizens to honor the national holiday. The celebration has since changed, but not the underlying theme of patriotism.

Our Country Day is sponsored by the City of Keystone Heights, Riviere Tire and Clay Electric.

The celebration will move to Moosehaven on Monday, July 4, for its American Pride 4th of July. The annual event presented by Gordon Chevrolet and is a collaboration between the retirement center and the Town of Orange Park.

Gates open at 6 p.m. and the schedule includes food trucks, a concert by the local band Bold City Classic and fireworks over the St. Johns River at dusk.

Parking and admission are free, but visitors are asked to bring their own chairs. Pets and coolers are prohibited.

The fireworks show at Moosehaven is considered the largest in Clay County.