General | 6/29/2026 10:26:00 AM

June 29, 2026-The special events continue at Welch Stadium this weekend as the Emporia community Independence Day fireworks display will again be held on the Emporia State campus on the evening of Saturday, July 4. With this being the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the show promises to be one of the biggest and best since moving to campus in 2010.
 
For those wanting to make a celebration that evening, tailgating is available in Emporia State parking lots beginning at 7:00 p.m. Neither alcohol nor personal fireworks are allowed on campus. Special containers will be available to dispose of hot coals.
 
Welch Stadium will open at 8:30 p.m. Seating is open on the west side of the Stadium and people who want to view from Jones Field are welcome to sit on the field with blankets.  Chairs of any kind, along with sunflower seeds and gum are prohibited on Jones Field and Witten Track to help preserve the playing surfaces.
 
Public viewing is also available on the ESU practice fields on the north end of campus, however the ESU Soccer Pitch will be closed to the public to help preserve the playing surface. The two parking lots across Highland Street from the art annex, just north of Wilson Park, are available for handicapped parking and viewing. To view a map of parking for the event, go to emporia.link/fireworks.
 
The fireworks display will be shot from the intramural soccer fields north of Interstate 35. The fireworks show will begin between 9:45 and 10 p.m. and last approximately 20 to 30 minutes.
 
Jones Field at Welch Stadium is the home of the Emporia State football team.  In the last six weeks Welch Stadium has played host to the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field National Championships and the Kansas Shrine Bowl. The Hornet football team will have six home games this fall with the home opener slated for Saturday, September 12 against Michigan Tech. The Hornets have averaged over seven wins a year over the past four seasons. They are set to return 13 starters from last season including All-American linebacker Landon Boss, First-Team All-MIAA receiver Malik O'Atis, Second-Team All-MIAA defensive back Tyler Schultze and Third-Team All-MIAA offensive lineman Trevion Mitchell. Reserved season tickets are on sale now at esuhornets.com while season passes for The MIAA Network will go on sale in August.