MARS — The borough will kick off its Independence Day celebration at dusk July 3, according to council, with a 20-minute fireworks display by Kellner’s Fireworks.

“They’ve done it one Mars New Year a few years back before we got the drones,” Mayor Gregg Hartung said. “They could do it for $11,000, which was right in our ballpark.”

The boroughwide display will start between 9:30 and 10 p.m., leading up to a Fourth of July festival at noon the following day.

“Food and drink vendors, a few craft vendors, face painting, live music — and the parade,” said Amy Brown, assistant secretary and treasurer.

The festival will take place in downtown Mars and feature Stick City Brewing Company; Los Gallitos; PGH Crepes; PGH Halal Food Truck; Syrian Aroma Mediterranean Cuisine; Calla Events, Chocolates, and Moonshine Fudge; Global Street Foods and A&D Kona Ice. Attendees also can peruse artisan goods.

Brown said the borough’s parade will then start at 3 p.m. while the festival carries on until 4 p.m.

“We’re starting early on Monday night with the fireworks,” said Robert Bost, council vice president.

Hartung told council nearly 10,000 visitors helped celebrate Mars New Year at the borough’s festival June 9 and 10.

“Friday night we had 5,000 people for the drone shows and everything,” he said. “Saturday we had just about 4- or 5,000 again, there about.”

Hartung said the event brought in at least 9,000 attendees — with some of the vendors running out of food.

“Bebe Kakes and Hot Mama’s (Pierogies) sold out of food,” he said. “They had to work all night to be able to make food for the next day.”

Hartung said the festival hired a part-time coordinator this year for the increasingly massive event.

“There’s a lot of moving parts,” he said. “When you have 16 exhibits and NASA and all that, it becomes a little bit more than just a volunteer operation.”

Hartung said NASA and its guests were already “looking forward to coming back.”

“What’s really neat is to walk into the post office and have residents come up and say, ‘When’s the next one?’” Hartung said with a laugh. “I said, ‘22 months,’ and they say, ‘Oh no, I thought it was going to be next year.’ I said, ‘No, it’s the Martian New Year, not the Earth’s.’”

The council thanked Hartung for his effort and dedication to the festival.

“Gregg, the Mars New Year, in my opinion, is the nicest event we operate,” council member Brad Price said. “It’s a great crowd, lovely people, very wholesome — people are there for education, and it was very professionally handled.”