The unique feature for this year’s Fourth of July celebration in Ripon is the three-day carnival.

Elected leaders won’t know for certain their share with Midway – the carnival company based out of Sacramento is providing about 51 rides at the Mistlin Sports Complex as part of the Independence Day weekend at no charge to the City of Ripon while handing over 30 percent of all pre-sales and tickets sold at the gate – until the end.

But they did give Mayor Leo Zuber the green light to ink a one-year contract with Fireworks America based in Lakeside at last week’s Ripon City Council meeting.

The contract is for $20,000 in which half of that fee is required in advance. The remaining is due 10 days prior to the event.

The Fireworks Committee, meanwhile, has raised over $15,000, and is confident of getting the remaining funds through donations and carnival sales.

“The City’s expense was never associated with the show, but with the carnival operation,” Zuber said. “If the money raised by the carnival (helps) cover the fireworks along with the cost associated with it then extra funds could go towards future fireworks shows.”

Last month, Council agreed to the terms of Midway such as providing a 500- by- 500-foot area for the carnival and providing water service for the concessions.

The carnival company would provide restrooms and handle clean up duties for the weekend of July 3 through 5.

This year’s theme for the fireworks extravaganza is “Freedom in the Sky.”

The pyrotechnic display is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. that Saturday with no carnival rides in operation during that time, according to the agreement.