Del City to move Armed Forces Day parade to 29th Street, add festival and fireworks

A Del City commissioner announced the city will move the May Armed Forces Day parade to 29th Street and attach a festival and evening fireworks to the event, citing safety concerns tied to construction and a flood zone at Del City High School.

The commissioner said the parade will stage west of Bill Eisenhower and run east to Vicki, and that the city will close 29th Street from Munson to Glenn Avenue (Dave Smith Drive) beginning at 7:00 a.m. on parade day. Parade staging and lane use will prioritize safety and allow participants to be checked in by police, the commissioner said.

Festival activities are tentatively scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m., with the parade starting at 10:00 a.m. and an evening fireworks display set for about 8:30 p.m. at the Bill Eisenhower field adjacent to Sunny Lane. Vendors will be located on Epperly Drive and in the Family Dollar parking area; the speaker said vendors should plan to be set up for a full day, with the festival tentatively scheduled to end at 5:00 p.m. but that vendors may stay later if attendance warrants.

The commissioner emphasized the decision was driven by public-safety input from police, fire and public works and by construction that would have required closing multiple neighborhood streets to keep the previous Sunny Lane route: "I will be the first to say I fought to put it back on Sunnylane, but after talking to police, fire, public works, and everybody involved, it is kind of a public safety hazard," the commissioner said on the record.

Organizers said they are publicizing the change on the Chamber website, the city's Facebook page and in the city newsletter and will return to future council meetings with more outreach. The transcript also includes event logistics: Neighbors Night Out is scheduled for April 25, 4:00–8:00 p.m. at the community center, 4505 Southeast 15th Street, and the Chamber hosts event information on delcitychamber.com.

Speakers also raised routine neighborhood maintenance issues during public input: potholes on Wolford near 29th, faded parking-lot striping, a bump on Reno east of Scott Street, and a loose sign at 29th and Sunny Lane. City staff said they would inspect and address these items. The council adjourned at 6:26 p.m.