CLAY COUNTY – The Fourth of July always brings a little extra energy to the area, but factor in the nation’s 250^th anniversary, this year’s celebration will be like no other. In fact, it will be so big it will last two days.

The revelry will start on Friday, July 3, at Penney Retirement Community. In addition to the Fourth of July and America 250 the retirement community will host a fireworks show as part of its centennial celebration, Penney CEO Teresa Scott said.

The show will start at 9 p.m. over the golf course.

On Saturday, July 4, the day will start with the Jordan Cooper Memorial Freedom 5K at 8 a.m. in Keystone Heights and end with fireworks over Lake Geneva and the St. Johns River. And in between, there will be festivities throughout the county.

Moosehaven will host its American Pride Fourth of July gala on Saturday, July 4, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The event in Orange Park is free, and guests are invited to bring blankets or chairs, but pets, coolers and firearms are prohibited.

Food trucks, games, live music and vendors will be featured at the family-friendly event.

In Keystone Heights, there will be a vendors’ market featuring local artisans and small businesses with food trucks and cowboy reenactments adjacent to Keystone Beach from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Kiwanis Club will host its annual parade, this year’s theme is “Sounds of Freedom,” along Lawrence Boulevard, from Keystone Beach, ending at State Road 100. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office reminds both parade participants and watchers do not throw or retrieve candy or trinkets in the street.

Activities will continue near Keystone Beach with pie-eating and baby-crawl contests, a beach volleyball tournament, history lessons and live music featuring Duval County Line at 8 p.m.

Presale for beach access for the fireworks show started on June 22 at City Hall. The cost is $1 for city residents and $2 for non-residents. Tickets are $2 on July 4 at the Keystone Heights Beach gate.

Ryan Allen will have two fireworks crews working at 9 p.m. in the county – one on barges on Lake Geneva, the other on barges on the St. Johns River – to deliver massive firework shows.

His North Florida Pyrotechnics will cap two festivals with colorful shows that were planned months ago. In all, the Green Cove Springs company will work on 17 shows in Florida during the holiday.

“We’ve got things stacked up and ready,” Allen said. “We’ll start setting up at Moosehaven on Monday (June 29) and we’ll be done by Thursday. We’ll have security there around the clock. Keystone is built and ready.”

Allen said North Florida Pyrotechnics worked at six shows five years ago. Now his company is working at 17, including big events for the cities of St. Petersburg and West Palm Beach.

Allen said he will personally work at Moosehaven since NFP recently won that contract.

“I will be pressing the go-button there,” he said.

Allen said the reason for his company’s growth was the result of hard work, detailed planning and tenacity. He worked out the details on the Moosehaven show in February.

“When you’re self-employed, it’s a lot of hard work. But it’s rewarding,” he said. “I love every minute. I never wake up and feel like I want to be doing anything else.”