Even with July 4 landing this year on Friday, at least 50 Vermont cities and towns are ready to celebrate Independence Day with free public festivities that stretch from Wednesday through Sunday.
Vermont’s biggest city of Burlington is set to host the state’s largest fireworks show Thursday, July 3, to cap an evening of entertainment from 5 to 11 p.m. at Waterfront Park along Lake Champlain.
The capital city of Montpelier will hold its own July 3rd celebration — an event that draws up to 15,000 people to the Statehouse lawn — with food trucks and family activities starting Thursday at 3 p.m., a mile road race and parade at 6 p.m., and fireworks at 9:30 p.m.
Individual businesses, organizations and attractions are holding activities too numerous to mention. But among the Vermont communities promoting free public events online:
Alburgh will mark the holiday on Friday, July 4, with a parade at 11 a.m. and fireworks at dusk.
Barton is set to gather at the Orleans County Fairgrounds on Friday, July 4, for a horse pull at 10 a.m. and Saturday, July 5, for a tractor pull at 9 a.m.
Bennington’s program on Friday, July 4, will start with morning speeches at the Bennington Battle Monument and end with music and fireworks at Willow Park from 5 to 9:30 p.m.
Brandon’s Independence Day celebration on Saturday, July 5, will include a downtown parade at 10 a.m. and fireworks at dusk.
Brattleboro’s “By the People: Brattleboro Goes Fourth” observance on Friday, July 4, will feature a 10 a.m. parade downtown and an afternoon and evening program of family activities and fireworks at Living Memorial Park.
Bristol’s celebration will begin Thursday, July 3, with music and fireworks from 6 p.m. to dusk and continue Friday, July 4, with an outhouse race at 9 a.m. and parade at 10:30 a.m.
Brownsville will feature music and fireworks on Thursday, July 3, from 6 p.m. to dusk and a parade on Friday, July 4, at 1:30 p.m.
Cabot is advertising a parade on Friday, July 4, at 11 a.m. as part of a day of Main Street activities.
Castleton will mark the holiday on Saturday, July 5, with a parade at 10 a.m. and music and fireworks at Crystal Beach from 7 to 9 p.m.
Colchester’s observance on Friday, July 4, will begin with a parade at 10 a.m. and end with fireworks at dusk.
Corinth’s celebration on Friday, July 4, will feature a parade at 10 a.m., followed by a chicken barbecue at the local fairgrounds.
Danville will offer fireworks at Joe’s Pond on Thursday, July 3, at dark.
Derby’s parade is scheduled for Friday, July 4, at 10 a.m.
Dover will offer music and fireworks at the Mount Snow Resort on Saturday, July 5, from 6 to 9 p.m.
Essex Junction’s program on Friday, July 4, will feature music at the Champlain Valley Exposition from 6 p.m. until fireworks at 9:30 p.m.
Fairlee’s shared celebration with neighboring Orford, New Hampshire, on Friday, July 4, will include a parade at 11 a.m. and fireworks at dusk.
Greensboro’s “Funky Fourth” on Saturday, July 5, will feature a parade and community picnic at 10 a.m. and a free Vermont Philharmonic concert at the Highland Center for the Arts at 6:30 p.m.
Guilford will gather on Friday, July 4, for an 11:30 a.m. reading of the Declaration of Independence at the local Meeting House before moving on at noon to a picnic at the nearby Broad Brook Community Center.
Hartford’s celebration on Friday, July 4, will include music and fireworks at Kilowatt Park from 7 to 9:30 p.m.
Hartland’s Old Home Day on Friday, July 4, will range from a tractor pull at 8 a.m. to a parade at 10 a.m. and fireworks at 9 p.m.
Hinesburg’s program on Friday, July 4, will include a parade at 11 a.m. and music and fireworks from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
Island Pond’s event on Saturday, July 5, will offer a parade at 11 a.m. and music and fireworks at Lakeside Park from 6 to 9:30 p.m.
Jeffersonville’s celebration on Friday, July 4, will feature a parade at 10 a.m. and music and fireworks at Smugglers’ Notch Resort from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Killington’s event on Friday, July 4, will include a parade at 10 a.m. and music and fireworks from 7 to 9 p.m.
Londonderry will hold a celebration at Magic Mountain on Sunday, July 6, with music and fireworks from 7 to 11 p.m.
Ludlow will offer music and fireworks at the Okemo Mountain resort on Saturday, July 5, from 6:30 to 11:30 p.m.
Milton’s celebration on Friday, July 4, will begin with a parade at 11 a.m. and end with music and fireworks from 5 to 10 p.m.
Newport will offer music and fireworks on Friday, July 4, from 6 to 9:30 p.m.
North Hero will present music and fireworks on Thursday, July 3, starting at 6 p.m.
Peacham’s July 4th celebration on Friday, July 4, will feature a tractor parade at 11 a.m. and festivities until 4 p.m.
Plymouth will celebrate the late President Calvin Coolidge’s birthday at his former home on Friday, July 4, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Poultney’s celebration on Friday, July 4, will include a parade at 10 a.m. and a field day and fireworks at dusk.
Randolph will offer fireworks on Thursday, July 3, at dusk and a parade and festival on Friday, July 4, at 10 a.m.
Richmond will gather on Friday, July 4, for a parade through town at 10:35 a.m., followed by an afternoon of festivities and fireworks at 9:45 p.m.
Rochester will present a parade on Friday, July 4, at 11 a.m.
Saxtons River’s celebration on Friday, July 4, will feature a parade and street fair at 11 a.m.
South Hero will hold a parade on Friday, July 4, at 11 a.m.
Stowe’s “Old-Fashioned Fourth of July” on Friday, July 4, will include two parades — one in Moscow at 10 a.m. and another on Main Street at noon — and fireworks at dusk.
Strafford festivities on Saturday, July 5, will include a parade at 11:30 a.m., a “Fabulous Frog Jumping Competition” at noon and a Strafford versus South Strafford tug of war at 2 p.m.
Stratton Mountain’s Fourth of July weekend will include fireworks on Saturday, July 5, from 8:45 to 9:30 p.m.
Vershire’s program on Saturday, July 5, will include music and fireworks from 6 to 9 p.m.
Wardsboro will hold its annual parade and street fair on Friday, July 4, starting at 9 a.m.
Warren’s event on Friday, July 4, will feature a parade at 10 a.m. and an afternoon and evening of music at the Sugarbush Resort leading to fireworks at 9 p.m.
Williston’s program on Friday, July 4, will include a parade at 10 a.m. and fireworks at 9:20 p.m.
Wilmington will present music and fireworks on Wednesday, July 2, from 6 to 10 p.m.
Woodstock will offer music and fireworks on Sunday, July 6, from 6 to 9 p.m.
And Woodsville and Wells River’s celebration on Friday, July 4, will feature a parade at 11 a.m. and fireworks at 10 p.m.
