U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Weekly News Release
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Carlyle Lake Project is preparing for a fun and safe weekend celebrating Independence Day at Carlyle Lake. Family oriented activities will be taking place throughout the weekend; all activities are free and open to the public.
The highlight of the weekend will be the Fireworks Spectacular on Saturday, July 2. The fireworks display will be shot from Point 1 at dusk. Viewing of the fireworks can be best seen from the Carlyle Lake Main Dam, Dam West Recreation Area, Dam West Boat Ramp, Dam East Boat Ramp, Dam East South Shore (Point 18), or from the water.
The Dam West Recreation Area will serve as the main location for live music, family-friendly activities, and vendors. Fireworks Spectacular is hosted by the Carlyle Lake Fireworks Committee and the City of Carlyle. This event is made possible by funds raised by the Haunted Trail, donations from local corporate sponsors, and donations collected the evening of the event.
In addition to Fireworks Spectacular, interactive educational programs will be offered on Friday and Sunday evenings and beach activities on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday afternoons. A tour of the Carlyle Lake Main Dam will be conducted on Monday morning as well.
Weekend Activities
Listed below are the available Carlyle Lake weekend activities:
Friday, July 1st:
8:00 p.m. West Bay Amphitheater, Dam West Campground – It’s Rocket Science
8:00 p.m. Cattail Cove Amphitheater, Coles Creek Campground – Campground Yoga
8:00 p.m. Brewster Creek Amphitheater, Boulder Campground – Bird of Freedom
Saturday, July 2nd:
12:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Sandcastle Contest at Dam West Beach
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Beach Games & Bobber Appearance at Dam West Beach
1:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Dam Jam at Shelter #2 in Dam West Recreation Area
*1:00 p.m. – Kendell Johnson
*2:30 p.m. – The Jumpstarts
*4:00 p.m. – Stump Water Shine
*6:00 p.m. – Rollin’ Dirty
*7:30 p.m. – Riverside Tavern Revival/Double Shot
Dusk: Fireworks shot off at Point 1
Sunday, July 3rd:
2:00 p.m. Harbor Light Bay Beach – Water Safety
2:30 p.m. McNair Beach – Water Safety
2:30 p.m. Keyesport Beach – Water Safety
3:00 p.m. Coles Creek Beach – Water Safety
3:00 p.m. Dam West Beach – Water Safety
8:00 p.m. West Bay Amphitheater, Dam West Campground – Campground Yoga
8:00 p.m. Cattail Cove Amphitheater, Coles Creek Campground – Bird of Freedom
8:00 p.m. Brewster Creek Amphitheater, Boulder Campground – It’s Rocket Science
Monday, July 4th:
10:00 a.m. Carlyle Lake Main Dam Tour – Starts at the top of the Carlyle Lake Dam
2:00 p.m. Harbor Light Bay Beach – Water Safety
2:30 p.m. McNair Beach – Water Safety
2:30 p.m. Keyesport Beach – Water Safety
3:00 p.m. Coles Creek Beach – Water Safety
3:00 p.m. Dam West Beach – Water Safety
Camping Opportunities
• Dam West, Coles Creek and Boulder Campgrounds are open with sites available on a first-come-first-serve basis and also through reservation by calling R1S (Recreation One Stop) at 1-877-444-6777 or online at www.recreation.gov
• McNair-Dam East Campground is open with sites available through reservation which include a same day reservable option.
• Eldon Hazlet State Park is also open and has sites available on a first-come, first-serve basis or online at https://www2.illinois.gov/
Visitor Center
The Carlyle Lake Visitor Center is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The Visitor Center provides educational exhibits, literature, and in-person communication with an attendant to help plan your stay at Carlyle Lake.
Life jacket loaner stations are available at Keyesport, Dam West, McNair, and Coles Creek beaches and boat ramps. Visitors are encouraged to borrow a life jacket from a station to use while recreating and return the life jacket to a station once done.
Please read the following links for information on Water Safety… Corp Water Safety Tips Corp NR 14-27 Safety Message
For more information contact the Carlyle Lake Project Office at (618) 594-2484 or e-mail at carlylelake@usace.army.mil, or visit the official Carlyle Lake Project Facebook page @carlylelake.
