The long July 4 holiday weekend is fast approaching; with the actual July 4 falling on Tuesday.

In Escalon, the celebration will get started a little early, as the Escalon Covenant Church is planning a fun-filled evening for the community on Sunday, July 2.

After taking a one-year hiatus last year, the church is once again hosting an Independence Day Celebration and festivities are planned at the city’s Hogan-Ennis Park adjacent to the Escalon Community Center.

All activities are planned there and begin at 5 p.m. on Sunday, July 2, culminating with a fireworks show and lasting until 10 p.m.

Escalon Covenant officials said the family friendly event will offer a variety of activities and include an affordable meal, with tickets for the barbecue dinner set at the suggested price of $3 per person, up to a maximum of $10 per family.

Along with the barbecue, there will be bounce houses, games, face painting, a watermelon eating contest, sno-cones and more. All in the community are invited to come and help mark America’s birthday.

Dinner will be served from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at Escalon Covenant Church or online at escaloncovenant.org. Church officials added that any on duty firefighters, police or EMS personnel are invited to come and eat dinner for free.

Attendees are asked to bring lawn chairs or blankets to enjoy the picnic in the park. The church, which has a fundraising fireworks booth this year in the church parking lot at 1155 Escalon Ave., will stage a wrap up fireworks show at the event as well. The show will feature a variety of the Safe and Sane fireworks that the church will offer at their booth. Fireworks sales can continue until midnight on July 4.