Fourth of July: Change in Sanitation schedule, holiday bus service, plus information about downtown fireworks

Fireworks explode over the City of Asheville in this photo by Bill Rhodes.

Fireworks explode over the City of Asheville
in this photo by Bill Rhodes.

Sanitation schedule shifts,
ART buses to run on holiday schedule

Asheville City government offices will be closed Wednesday, July 4, in observance of the Independence Day holiday.

Trash and recycling collection

Asheville Sanitation will be closed July 4, as the local landfill and transfer stations will be closed. Residents whose collection day is Wednesday will have their trash and recycling picked up on Thursday, July 5. This will move Thursday’s regular collection to Friday, July 6.

Need to report a missed garbage collection? Contact the City of Asheville Customer Service Division at 828-251-1122.

Bus service on a holiday schedule

ART bus service routes and facilities will operate on a holiday schedule on July 4. Most routes operate between the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. This is the same as the Sunday schedule. The Independence Day holiday is one of six holidays throughout the calendar year that ART offers service.

Due to special events in and around Pack Square Park, some routes and stops will be impacted.  Detours will be in place from 7 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. for Routes E1, E1 and 170. For more route information, visit RideTheART.com and click on “service alerts.” Riders can also find detailed information here.

Independence Day celebration street closings

North Pack Square will close at 2 p.m. July 3 for installation of the Ultimate Air Dogs pool and will remain closed through Tuesday, July 4, for the Ingles Independence Day Celebration that runs from 2-10 p.m. in Pack Square Park. All other streets through Pack Square Park (South Pack Square, Court Plaza, South Market, North and South Spruce) will be closed to traffic on July 4 beginning at 6 a.m. and will remain closed until midnight.

College and North Spruce streets will be closed at approximately 8:30 p.m. July 4 and will remain closed until the end of the fireworks display.

Parks & Recreation facilities

The City’s three pools will be open on July 4: Recreation Park Pool, Malvern Hills Pool and the Walton Street Pool.

All City of Asheville Parks & Recreation Department recreation centers will be closed, including the City’s Summer Playground Program and youth and adult athletic programs.

The following specialized recreation facilities also will be open: City parks, the Asheville Golf Course, Asheville Skate Park, Aston Park Tennis Center and the Western North Carolina Nature Center. For hours of operation and other information about the WNC Nature Center, visit wncnaturecenter.com

Riverside Cemetery offices will be closed July 4, through the cemetery itself will be open.

U.S. Cellular Center

The U.S. Cellular Center offices and box office will close July 4 in observance of the Independence Day holiday. Tickets for all U.S. Cellular Center events are available online at ticketmaster.com or by phone at 1-800-745-3000.  Event information line is 828-259-5736.  Contact information for specific staff members, questions or booking inquiries can be found at USCellularCenterAsheville.com. The facility and box office and offices will reopen at 10 a.m. July 5.

Emergency and water services

Water Resources staff will be available for water related emergencies 24 hours a day over the holiday weekend. Customers can call the customer service line at 828-251-1122 to report water related emergencies, leaks, breaks and no water calls.

All public safety services, including police, fire and emergency response, will operate according to normal schedule – 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Ingles Independence Day Celebration

The Asheville Downtown Association will host the Ingles Independence Day Celebration from 2-10 p.m. July 4 at Pack Square Park.

Flatpicking guitar legend, the Larry Keel Experience will headline the event, hitting the stage about 8 p.m. Local openers will begin at 5 p.m.

The free event features family activities throughout the day, with a fireworks extravaganza capping off the event at 9:30 p.m.