Battle Creek Times

One of the biggest weeks of the summer in Battle Creek is here, and we have a lot of information to share about road closures and city service changes as the Field of Flight Air Show and Balloon Festival begins Thursday, ahead of the Independence Day holiday on July 4. 

MONDAY, JULY 4 HOLIDAY 

• City offices are closed 
• Battle Creek Transit services are canceled 
• Republic Services is closed; all curbside waste pickup is delayed one day the entire week 
• Related to the holiday and Balloon Fest, Police Department fingerprinting services are CANCELED on June 30 and July 5. Fingerprinting at BCPD resumes on Thursday, July 7, during the regular hours of 2-4 p.m. 

FIREWORKS 

• Consumer fireworks are legal in the City of Battle Creek from Wednesday, June 29 through Monday, July 4.  
• You may use fireworks on these days between 11 a.m. and 11:45 p.m. 
• Call 911 or visit battlecreekmi.gov/police to report a fireworks complaint outside the legal times.  
• This video outlines other laws and limitations around fireworks in the city: https://youtu.be/F5F2s1LNVW4.

   

BALLOON FEST 

Many of the following road closures coordinate with daily air shows. Please watch for signs, detours, and police patrols around the Battle Creek Executive Airport. Please watch for road closure and detour signs, and follow directions from the Battle Creek Police Department and Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department. 

Please note: Do not stop/park along Columbia Avenue south of the airport, or along the north side of Dickman/Helmer Road, north of the airport. Some of the air show teams will not fly with cars parked there, and police will ask you to leave. 

• Thursday, June 30 – 4-11 p.m. 
  • Helmer Road closed to through traffic from Columbia Avenue to Dickman Road
• Friday, July 1 – 10:15-11:30 a.m. and 1:45-3 p.m. 
  • Helmer Road closed to through traffic from Columbia Avenue to Dickman Road 
  • N Helmer closed at Upton Avenue 
  • Wilbur and 5th avenues closed at Helmer 
  • Dickman Road closed from N 32nd Street to JB’s Whiskey/Base Avenue
• Friday, July 1 – 2:30-11 p.m. 
  • Helmer Road closed to through traffic from Columbia Avenue to Dickman Road
• Saturday, July 2 – 6:30-9 a.m. – Battle Creek Half Marathon 
  • S Helmer Road closed from Columbia to Dickman 
  • Closures at the start/finish area at 6th Avenue and 28th Street 
  • Police will temporarily stop traffic for runners crossing Columbia Avenue at S 24th Street 
  • Police will be present along the race route, as runners travel through neighborhoods: 
    • Hupp Road, Buick Drive, Chalmers Drive, Blackhawk Drive, crossing 24th Street to Lakeshore Drive, Wheaton Avenue, Sherman Drive, Sunnyside Drive, crossing Woodrow Avenue to Terry Court 
    • Back on 24th Street to Territorial Road, to N 32nd Street, West Highland Boulevard, N 33rd Street, West Goguac Street, N 30th Street, back to the starting area 
• Saturday, July 2 – Monday, July 4 – 9:30-11 a.m. 
  • Helmer Road closed to through traffic from Columbia Avenue to Dickman Road
• Saturday, July 2 – Monday, July 4 – 4:15-5:15 p.m. 
  • Columbia Avenue and Dickman Road closed around the airport 
  • N Helmer Road closed at Upton Avenue 
  • Wilbur and 5th avenues closed at Helmer 
  • Dickman Road closed from N 32nd Street to JB’s Whiskey/Base Avenue
• Saturday, July 2 AND Monday, July 4 – 10:30 p.m.-midnight – Fireworks 
  • Police-controlled intersections on West Columbia Avenue from Skyline Drive to Capital Avenue SW 
  • Westbound traffic will be routed north 

 Please have patience during these events, and use this information to plan your travel to or around these upcoming events. We appreciate everyone’s help as we welcome visitors to the community, and enjoy these annual events. 

_{Source: https://www.battlecreekmi.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1506}