North Shore’s Fourth of July spirit pushes through rain-soaked weekend

North Shore Fourth of July festivities were hit or miss this year, thanks to Mother Nature.

As rain moved through the area, some events were able to push through while others were canceled, postponed or delayed.

Skokie was able to move forward with its celebrations. ItsIndependence Day parade saw hundreds of people lining Lincoln Avenue and Oakton Street, celebrating their freedoms and America’s 250th anniversary, cheering on parade floats, and catching candy.

One of those spectators was Uncle Sam himself — or rather, Luke Reynolds, who was wearing a patriotic hat and a white beard, both of which he said he bought for the parade.

The Texas resident, who was in town visiting family, said he normally does not dress up for parades, but thought he might try something different this year.

“(The parade is) great,” Reynolds said. “It’s one of the best I’ve ever seen, especially the patriotic music.”

High temperatures and rain held off Saturday morning, drawing nonresidents like Reynolds and annual attendees to celebrate Independence Day in Skokie.

Weekend weather

Mother Nature wasn’t so kind to patriotic events at other during the weekend. Constant rain, and the threat of more, on Friday evening, July 3, knocked out Wilmette’s daytime Star-Spangled Splash and flagship Fun & Fireworks.

It was the first cancelation for the Wilmette fireworks-capped celebration, which typically draws tens of thousands of guests, in 25 years, according to park district officials.

Neighbors, though, stepped up to the challenge, taking the party over to The Wilmette Theatre, where all three scheduled bands performed in front of a spirited crowd.

Highland Park’s Independence Fest, also set for July 3, was postponed. The event would have marked the first community fireworks show from the City of Highland Park since before the 2022 shooting, but city officials say it will soon announce a makeup date for later this year.

Glencoe went forward with its main attraction, Party in the Park, on July 3, pushing up fireworks to 8:30 p.m. to avoid late-breaking storms.

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The following day parades in Highland Park, Winnetka and Skokie proceeded as expected, as did the Saturday night fireworks shows in Winnetka and Skokie. All pre-firework activities in Winnetka’s Duke Childs facility, however, were canceled reportedly because of conditions of the park.

Back in Skokie

Malkie Cohen and her family were enjoying a cool breeze, which was blowing the two American flags that she had in her hair.

“We come every year with the kids,” she said of the parade. “(We’re) teaching them to be patriotic — and (enjoying) the candy.”

Cohen said she felt the weather was “pretty pleasant” for a parade.

Elsewhere along the parade route, David Sugihara and his family were enjoying the floats go by, and praised the kindness of the participants.

“We really love the music,” he said. “Everything has been awesome. They’re handing out stuff and they’re great with the kids.”

Romeo Martinez, relaxing alongside his dog Tessie, said he was a fan of the Medinah Shriners, of Addison, whose members drove motorized magic carpets, frequently stopping along the route and posing for photos with parade-goers.

“We’ve been coming here for a long time,” Martinez said.

According to the Skokie 4th of July’s website, there were 79 groups and organizations participating in the 2026 Independence Day parade.

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