It may be appropriate that the weather is as hot as a firecracker while Meridian prepares to celebrate the Fourth of July Wednesday night at Bonita Lakes Recreation Park.

    City officials said the park will be closed for most of the day July 4 as final preparations are made for the big evening festivities. The boat ramp on the upper lake will be closed after noon on today so the pyrotechnic professionals can begin to set up the area for the fireworks. The boat ramp, horse cleaning area, and trails will be closed July 4.  

    The gates will open at 3:30 p.m. for the 2012 July 4th Celebration. Food vendors will open their windows with all sorts of good eats and cold presentations to help ward off the heat.

    Parking will be available at Bonita Lakes Recreation Park and at JoAnn’s Fabrics located across from Bonita Lakes Mall. A shuttle will be available to those parking in front of JoAnn’s beginning at 5:30 p.m.

    U.S. Navy and Marine Corps aviators will execute the NAS Fly-Over at 6:45 p.m. in the T-45 Goshawks used to train tomorrow’s fighters from the sea.

    The concert featuring The Love Notez from Jackson is from 7 p.m.-9 p.m.

    The main attraction, the fireworks, will begin at 9 p.m.

    For more information, call (601) 485-1944.