Parades, fireworks and other in-person celebrations are back for the Fourth of July, a year after the COVID-19 pandemic stifled many annual events.
Among those are the fireworks displays in Hartford and Lebanon, and bi-state parades in Woodsville/Wells River and Orford/Fairlee.
Here’s a list of Fourth of July events taking place in the Upper Valley. Email additions and updates to calendar@vnews.com.
Brownsville: Dusk, July 3, Mount Ascutney Outdoors, 449 Ski Tow Road.
Canaan: Dusk, July 5, Williams Field, Route 4.
Claremont: 9:30 p.m., July 4, Monadnock Park, 190 Broad St.
Grafton: Dusk, July 10, Grafton Recreation Field, Prescott Hill Road.
Hartford/Wilder: Dusk, July 4, Kilowatt South Park, 61 Passumpsic Ave.
Lebanon: Around 9:20 p.m., July 4, Storrs Hill Ski Area at 60 Spring St.
Fairlee/Orford: Dusk, July 4, Lake Morey.
Hartland: 9 p.m., July 4, Hartland Recreation Center, 9 Route 12.
Randolph: Dusk, July 3, Brunswick School, Stock Farm Road.
Sunapee: Dusk, July 3, Sunapee Harbor.
Woodstock: 9 p.m./dusk, July 4, Woodstock Union High School, 100 Amdsen Way.
Woodsville/Wells River: 10 p.m., July 4, Woodsville Community Field.
Vershire: Dusk, July 3, Town Center, 27 Vershire Center Road.
Saturday, July 3
Activities take place in Brownsville, on Brownsville-Hartland Road. From 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Community breakfast, live music, games, a bouncy house, food vendors, crafts and a book sale. Gala parade at 1 p.m. From 6 p.m. to dusk, food vendors, live music and fireworks will be at Mount Ascutney Outdoors, 449 Ski Tow Road. 802-484-3200.
Monday, July 5
Fireworks at dusk. Gather at Williams Field, off Route 4.
Sunday, July 4
Festivities take place beginning at 6 p.m. at Monadnock Park at 190 Broad St. Live music by American Cheese, food vendors and fireworks at 9:30 p.m. claremontparks.com.
Saturday, July 3: Community reading of Frederick Douglass’ 1852 speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” at 6:30 p.m. at Broad Street Park.
Sunday, July 4
Events take place around East Corinth Village, Village Road. Celebration hosted by the East Corinth Congregational Church.
Parade begins in upper end of the village at 10 a.m. and ends at fairgrounds. Chicken barbecue featuring half chicken, cole slaw, mostaccioli, rolls, dessert cake and beverage, $7 to $15, 11 a.m. Silent auction, 11 a.m. to noon.
ENFIELD/LEBANON
Saturday, July 3. (Rain date July 4)
Join the Mascoma Lake boat parade. Costumes and decorated boats encouraged. Rain date July 4th.
If not boating, watch from the shorelines. Public viewing from the Shaker Bridge, the Lakeside Park, Shakoma Beach and the Baited Hook.
Boats should meet the lead boat and line up near the rail trail rope swing in the north end prior to 3 p.m., then follow in a procession around the whole lake.
All types of boats are welcome. mla@mascomalakeassociation.org
Sunday, July 4
Parade with the theme of “Unsung Heroes of the Red, White and Blue” starts at 11 a.m. in Orford on 25A, then to Route 10 North and across the bridge to Route 5 South in Fairlee and ends at the field south of Wing’s Market. Parade marshals will be essential workers.
From 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., there will be food trucks and beer on tap at Chapman’s Place on Route 5, where the Turnip Truck Band will perform from 5 to 7 p.m.
At noon, there will be a takeout chicken barbecue on the Town Common and pie and ice cream at the Fairlee Community Church at 55 Town Common Road.
Begin gathering at 7:30 p.m. for fireworks display at Lake Morey, which begins at dusk. fairleevt.org/2021/05/independence-day-july-4-2021.
Saturday, July 10
Festivities begin at 8 a.m. July 10 at Grafton Recreation Field on Prescott Hill Road.
Independence celebration includes flea market, food, music by Unkle Knukles Band and fireworks at dusk. 603-523-9902.
Sat.-Mon., July 3-5
“Flags, Flamingos, and the 4th”: View decorated flamingos throughout Hanover. Reserve flamingos and learn more at hanoverrec.com.
Sunday, July 4
(Rain date Monday, July 5)
Events start at 7 p.m. at Kilowatt South Park, 61 Passumpsic Ave., Wilder.
Food vendors, music by DJ Zack Davis, family entertainment by Pirate Man Dan and fireworks at dusk.
Saturday, July 3: Take part or listen to a community reading of “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” by Frederick Douglass at 11 a.m. at the Gazebo on the Quechee Green, 70 Village Green. Rain or shine.
Sunday, July 4
Old Home Day, events take place around the Hartland Recreation Center, 19 Route 12. Tractor pull, 8 a.m.; parade at 11 a.m., followed by vendors and live music; fireworks, 9 p.m. hartlandrecreation.com or 802-436-2790.
Sunday, July 4
Red, White & Blue 6.2 & Fun Run: Fun run starts at 8 a.m.; 5K and 10K start at 8:30 a.m. on Northern Rail Trail and Mill Road. Register at lebanonnh.gov/823/Red-White-Blue-62.
Join a participatory reading of Frederick Douglass’s 1852 speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Colburn Park. Sign up to read at the event or in advance by emailing cbrougvie@gmail.com or just come and listen.
The Flames perform from 7 to 9 p.m. at Colburn Park, 51 N. Park St. Fireworks set off at Storrs Hill Ski Area at 60 Spring St. around 9:20 p.m.
Saturday, July 3
Parade with theme “Celebrate Our Community Heroes” at 10 a.m. on Main Street and ends at recreation field on Park Street, where vendors will be set up.
Fireworks at Brunswick School on Stock Farm Road at dusk. whiterivervalleychamber.com/july-4-parade.
Fri.-Sat., July 2-3
July 2: Stafford vs. South Strafford softball game at Varney Field (Route 132), 5 p.m.; Morrill Memorial and Harris Library book sale (220 Justin Morrill Memorial Highway), 4 to 7 p.m.
July 3: Village to Village Road Race, 9 a.m.; Book sale, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Parade, beginning at Justin Morrill Homestead (214 Justin Morrill Homestead) 11:30 a.m. Frog jumping and hopper contest, noon; games, events and snacks on the Common, noon to 2 p.m.; and Firemen’s Chicken Dinner at 5 p.m.
Saturday, July 3
Fireworks at dusk over Sunapee Harbor, Main Street/Lake Avenue. 603-763-2212.
Monday, July 5
Events take place in Tunbridge Village, Route 110.
Tunbridge Public Library book and bake sales at basement and driveway. Parade and memorial ceremony at 10 a.m.Tunbridge Volunteer Fire Department chicken barbecue by reservation at tvfdbbq@gmail.com, 802-693-0396 or 802-889-3274.
Sunday, July 4
All activities take place around Woodstock Union High School, 100 Amdsen Way. Live music and food vendors, 6 p.m. Fireworks around 9 p.m. townofwoodstock.org or 802-457-3456.
Old Vermont Fourth celebration, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Billings Farm & Museum, 69 Old River Road. Features historic speeches, crafts, wagon rides, music and games including baseball. $8 to $16. billingsfarm.org.
Sunday, July 4
Parade with the theme “America’s Superheroes” begins at 11 a.m. at Woodsville Elementary School and Montebello Street and travels along Route 302/Central Street before crossing Veterans Memorial Bridge to Wells River, where it ends.
Activities at Woodsville Community field include: flea market, 9 a.m.; bounce houses, water slides and other amusements at 12:30 p.m.; live music, bingo tent, dunk tank and food vendors. Fireworks at 10 p.m. in Wells River, but the best place to view them is from the Community Field in Woodsville. wwr4th.org.
Vershire
Saturday, July 3
Book, bake and plant sale at Church-Orr House, 6946 Route 113, 10 a.m.
Chicken barbecue, 3-6 p.m. Samantha Moffat performs from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. and The Pillsbury Slow Boys (Blues) play at 7:30 p.m. until the fireworks begin at dusk. Town Center, 27 Vershire Center Road.
