Only in Oxford Township does the Fourth of July holiday play second fiddle to one of the area’s largest and most spectacular celebrations of the year.

Get ready because the Seymour Celebration is slated to return to the 132-acre Seymour Lake Township Park and run from Thursday, July 7 to Saturday, July 9.

This year’s three-day extravaganza will include a carnival, family movie night, live music, hot air balloon launch, youth baseball tournament, a community garage sale and not one, but two nights of fireworks.

“I think it’s just getting bigger and better,” said Ron Davis, director of the township Parks and Recreation Department, which has been organizing this festival for eight years now.

“It’s become the program of the summer for our community as far as people working their vacations around (it),” he continued. “It’s really starting to gain popularity.”

Davis estimated the festival will have 25,000-plus visitors over three days and draw folks from a 50-mile radius.

“I think we’ll exceed what we’ve had in the past,” he said.

As always, the centerpiece of the Seymour Celebration is the carnival rides and games provided by Skerbeck Entertainment Group, based in Fennville, Michigan.

Davis said the carnival is always “organized” and its workers are “professional” in both appearance and job performance.

“We’ve had nothing but great reviews,” he said. “The Skerbeck family is great to work with.”

The carnival will run from 5-10 p.m. on Thursday, July 7 and from noon until 11 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday.

Armbands that provide all-day access to carnival rides will be available for $20 each at the ticket office. Each is good for a single day only. Discounted armbands can be purchased on-line for $17 each before noon on July 7. The website is www.seymourcelebration.com and all sales are final.

This year’s festival features a few new things.

For example, on July 7, Sky Adventures is planning a hot air balloon launch at the park, weather-permitting. At least three colorful balloons are expected to take flight.

Following that, beginning at dusk, there will be a family movie night, sponsored by Meijer, featuring the popular 2015 animated flick “Minions.”

Sports fans eager to see some action won’t want to miss the Seymour Celebration Diamond Classic, a baseball tournament featuring 28 teams with players ranging in age from 9-12.

Games start on Friday at 6 p.m., then run all day Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and wrap up on Sunday from 8-3 p.m.

The Clean Sweep Community Garage Sale will be held at the park from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 9.

Folks are welcome to come sell and shop, rain or shine. It’s for everyone from vendors and crafters to folks looking to clean out their garages and attics.

Set-up begins at 9:30 a.m. Booth space (12-foot-by-12-foot) is available. The cost is $10 for Oxford residents and $15 for non-residents.

All proceeds benefit the Oxford Athletic Boosters. Visit www.seymourcelebration.com to register.

Also on Saturday, Home Depot will have a Kid’s Corner area set up. Home Depot volunteers will be on-hand to help kids build special wood-based projects such as birdhouses and toolboxes.

“There will be a variety of different projects that the kids will be able to choose from,” said Alana Hart, a representative for the Home Depot store in Orion Township. “It’s all free. They learn how use a hammer and a screwdriver. They learn about sanding and gluing. It’s a good experience, especially for parents and children to do together. That’s really what it’s about, connecting the parent and the child (through) the projects.”

As always, there will be plenty of fireworks to delight the crowd. Colonial Fireworks, based in Clayton, Michigan, will once again light up the sky beginning at dusk.

Friday night’s display is sponsored by Meijer, while Saturday night’s show is brought to you by Genisys Credit Union.

Colonial Fireworks has been with the Seymour Celebration right from the beginning, just like Skerbeck.

“We’re trying to keep the same partnerships year after year,” Davis explained. “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.”

Admission to the Seymour Celebration is free with the exception of Friday and Saturday nights. After 7 p.m., a fee of $5 per vehicle will be charged.

Davis said the carnival is always “organized” and its workers are “professional” in both appearance and job performance.

“We’ve had nothing but great reviews,” he said. “The Skerbeck family is great to work with.”

The carnival will run from 5-10 p.m. on Thursday, July 7 and from noon until 11 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday.

Armbands that provide all-day access to carnival rides will be available for $20 each at the ticket office. Each is good for a single day only. Discounted armbands can be purchased on-line for $17 each before noon on July 7. The website is www.seymourcelebration.com and all sales are final.

This year’s festival features a few new things.

For example, on July 7, Sky Adventures is planning a hot air balloon launch at the park, weather-permitting. At least three colorful balloons are expected to take flight.

Following that, beginning at dusk, there will be a family movie night, sponsored by Meijer, featuring the popular 2015 animated flick “Minions.”

Sports fans eager to see some action won’t want to miss the Seymour Celebration Diamond Classic, a baseball tournament featuring 28 teams with players ranging in age from 9-12.

Games start on Friday at 6 p.m., then run all day Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and wrap up on Sunday from 8-3 p.m.

The Clean Sweep Community Garage Sale will be held at the park from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 9.

Folks are welcome to come sell and shop, rain or shine. It’s for everyone from vendors and crafters to folks looking to clean out their garages and attics.

Set-up begins at 9:30 a.m. Booth space (12-foot-by-12-foot) is available. The cost is $10 for Oxford residents and $15 for non-residents.

All proceeds benefit the Oxford Athletic Boosters. Visit www.seymourcelebration.com to register.

Also on Saturday, Home Depot will have a Kid’s Corner area set up. Home Depot volunteers will be on-hand to help kids build special wood-based projects such as birdhouses and toolboxes.

“There will be a variety of different projects that the kids will be able to choose from,” said Alana Hart, a representative for the Home Depot store in Orion Township. “It’s all free. They learn how use a hammer and a screwdriver. They learn about sanding and gluing. It’s a good experience, especially for parents and children to do together. That’s really what it’s about, connecting the parent and the child (through) the projects.”

As always, there will be plenty of fireworks to delight the crowd. Colonial Fireworks, based in Clayton, Michigan, will once again light up the sky beginning at dusk.

Friday night’s display is sponsored by Meijer, while Saturday night’s show is brought to you by Genisys Credit Union.

Colonial Fireworks has been with the Seymour Celebration right from the beginning, just like Skerbeck.

“We’re trying to keep the same partnerships year after year,” Davis explained. “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.”

Admission to the Seymour Celebration is free with the exception of Friday and Saturday nights. After 7 p.m., a fee of $5 per vehicle will be charged.

Both alcoholic beverages and personal fireworks are strictly prohibited in the park via township ordinance. Oakland County Sheriff’s deputies will be on patrol during the event and on the lookout for violators.

In the end, not only is the Seymour Celebration wall-to-wall fun for the whole family, but Davis believes it benefits local businesses with increased sales and exposes outsiders to the town.

“It’s just another opportunity to showcase the community of Oxford and everything we have to offer,” he said.

Davis is quite pleased the list of event sponsors (see advertisement below) continues to grow and contains everyone from big corporations to local businesses.

“The staff has done a tremendous amount of work this year to attract new sponsors,” he said.

Davis wished to give his staff a plug for all they do.

“With a staff of six, it’s pretty amazing what we pull off,” he said. “That’s who really deserves the credit. I’ll work these guys like dogs and they don’t complain. They deserve the kudos.”