Fourth of July Celebrations Around the Lakes Region

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

Whether you are celebrating the holiday from your boat, deck, cottage or year-round home, the Lakes Region is the place to be for fireworks, parades and concerts for good, old-fashioned fun. Celebrate the birth of our country at these fun events.

Center Harbor starts the holiday off with the 43rd Annual Footrace on July 4; register from 7:15 to 9:30 am in front of the fire station on Main Street. The Kids’ Race begins at 9 am adjacent to the town library. The adult 1.776 Mile and 5 Mile races start at 10 am. For questions and registration information, email parksandrecreation@centerharbornh.org

Later in the day in downtown Center Harbor, celebrate the 4th at the town’s parade at 2 pm. The parade line-up will be at Chase Circle in the downtown Center Harbor area at 1:30 pm. Enjoy wonderful fireworks over Center Harbor Bay at 9:15 pm, after a 7 pm concert at the town bandstand. Visit www. centerharbornh.org. for details.

If you like a good book sale, head to the Nichols Library in Center Harbor on July 4 for a chance to get some books. The sale will be held from 8:30 am to noon, with a rain date of July 6 from 9 am to 1 pm. The library is located at 35 Plymouth St., Center Harbor; call 603-253-6950, or visit www.centerharborlibrary.org

Many people say Ashland has the best fireworks display around. The town celebrates Independence Day starting on July 1 with a Kickball Game at 3 pm. There also will be a barbecue on July 1 provided by the Ashland Community Church.

A 5K race in Ashland will be on July 2, with registration beginning at 7 am at Todd Randlett Trucking. The race begins at 8 am. Visit bit.ly/Ashland5K to sign up.

A Cornhole Tournament will take place at 1 pm on July 2 at the Ashland Ballfield, with a barbecue courtesy the 4th of July committee. Visit bit.ly/AshlandCornhole to sign up.

At 8 pm on July 2 gather for a movie in the park, with the film National Treasure starting at 8:30 pm.

On July 3, a Food Truck Festival will bring a variety of foods from 3 to 9 pm at the Ballfield. Also at the Ballfield will be games, a rock wall, bungee jumping and a bounce house. A 50/50 raffle by the Common Man will benefit the fireworks.

On July 3 from 4-9:30 pm, a concert in the park in Ashland will feature Chris White, The Beagles and Elvis impersonator Mark Slater. The day ends with fireworks set to music at 9:30 pm.

On July 4 enjoy the annual pancake breakfast at the Common Man restaurant on Main Street in Ashland from 7 to 10 am. The parade will start at 10 am in the downtown on July 4 from the Fire Station to the Ballfield. If you plan to be in the parade, arrive at the Ashland Fire Station between 8 and 9:30 am.

Laconia is celebrating its 4th of July events on July 2 at Opechee Park at 915 North Main Street. Before the celebration at the park, the day kicks off with the Independence Day Parade. Line up for the parade will be at 3:30 pm on July 2 at Laconia High School. The parade starts at 4:30 pm and ends at Opechee Park.

At Opechee Park, there will be food, music, games and more. The day ends with fireworks at 10 pm. Call the Laconia Parks and Recreation Department for details at 603-524-5046.

Gilmanton will offer fireworks at Crystal Lake Park at dusk on July 1; fireworks rain date is July 8. A parade on July 4 at 10 am will be in the downtown area.

If you like a good parade, head to Moultonborough for the 4th of July parade which kicks off at 11 am on July 4. The parade will line up at 10:15 am on Blake Road and go down Rt. 25, concluding at the Moultonborough Function Hall at 139 Old Rt. 109 for a free barbecue and trophy presentation. Call 603-476-8868.

On July 1, the Inaugural Patriotic Boat Parade will take place in Alton Bay. The parade is presented by the Alton Bay Christian Conference Center, and as many as 50 boats are expected to participate. The boat parade will start at 5 pm in Alton Bay.

Alton Bay is a great place to take in the fireworks. On July 3, come early for the Family Scavenger Hunt at the bandstand by the water in Alton Bay from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. A concert at the bandstand runs from 7 to 9 pm (bring a lawn chair for seating). The music will be provided by The Thursday After• 4th continued on page 4 noon Band. Fireworks light up the sky beginning at around 9:20 pm and are quite a beautiful sight over Alton Bay. Call 603-875-0109.

Start the 4th of July festivities with the Wolfeboro Lions Club 3rd Annual Car Show on July 1 from 11 am to 2 pm at the Nick Recreation Park, 10 Trotting Track Road (off Rt. 28) in Wolfeboro. The show is a fun, no classes, non-judged event and all vehicles and motorcycles are welcome. There will be a 50/50 raffle, and concessions are available. Call 603-651-6598.

Also on July 1, the Compaq Big Band will be at the Wolfeboro Community Bandstand in Cate Park, downtown. If rainy weather should cause the concert to be cancelled, signs will be posted at the entrance to Cate Park and a notice will be posted on the Friends of the Wolfeboro Community Bandstand Facebook page.

Wolfeboro’s Independence Day parade starts at 10 am on Main Street on July 4. The parade will feature all sorts of floats and people in costume; the parade rain date is July 5 at 10 am. Call 603-569-2200.

Later in the day (on the 4th), Wolfe- boro will present fireworks over Wolfeboro Bay at 9:30 pm. The fireworks rain date is July 5.

Bristol will present a number of fun 4th of July events, starting with fireworks at dusk on July 1 at the foot of Newfound Lake. The rain date is July 2.

On July 4, a Firecracker 5K Road Race starts with 8 am registration at the Newfound Memorial Middle School parking lot, followed by the race at 8:30 am. Visit www.newfoundfitnessnh.com

The Bristol parade will start on July 4 at 10 am in the downtown area, and the theme is “All Together Now!”. Visit www.ttccrec.org

On July 5, the Bristol Summer Concert Series will feature the NH Army National Guard 39th Army Band, with free admission at 6:30 pm in Kelley Park. Bring a lawn chair or blanket for seating. On July 6, the Michael Vincent Band will play at 6:30 pm in Kelley Park. Refreshments will be offered by the Bristol Fire Company.

The 4th of July in Meredith starts with the popular Rubber Ducky Race at 4 pm on July 4 at Hesky Park in Meredith, rain or shine. Fireworks light up the night sky over Meredith Bay at 9 pm on July 4. Call the Meredith Cham- ber of Commerce at 603-279-6121.

Other scheduled fireworks shows include fireworks at Weirs Beach at 11:59 pm on July 3. Spend the evening at Weirs Beach for music, food and fun all over the boardwalk area. Regular fireworks shows will be offered throughout the summer; visit www. weirsbeachfireworks.com for a completed schedule.

If you love the mountains, head to Waterville Valley for 4th of July fun. The events begin on July 1 from 11 am to 3 pm with a Family Carnival in Packard’s Field. There will be inflatables, music, relay races, a dunk tank, mini golf and more.

July 1 in Waterville Valley there will be a concert in the Town Square from noon to 3 pm with Jessica Olson Duo followed by the Bob Pratte Band from 6 to 9 pm.

On July 3 there will be live music in Town Square from 6 to 9 pm. There will be a parade at 10:30 am on July 4, and festivities during the day. There will be live music at the Town Square Gazebo. Fireworks at the Town Square start at 9:30 pm.

Tamworth has many things planned for the holiday beginning on July 1 with the Jonathan Sarty Band at 7 pm at KA Brett School. There also will be food trucks. Fireworks will end the day at 9:30 pm.

On July 4, Tamworth will have a 5K Family Fun Run at 8 am at Ordination Rock (for information and race registration visit www.ordinationrockrun. com).

The parade starts at Depot Road in Tamworth at 11 am, and music will be offered with the Starlight Honeys at the Distillery Barrel House at noon and from noon to 2 pm there will be family fun events at various locations around town. For information, call 603-7040856.

At the NH Farm Museum, history abounds, and an old-fashioned 4th of July offers fun for the entire family. The title for the day is The Fourth on the Farm and the event is just what the name says: a great day of family fun to celebrate the birth of our nation. On July 1 from 10 am to 4 pm, The Farm Museum will feature banjo player Bob Kilham playing tunes from the 1700s and 1800s. There also will be a demonstration for Flags of the Revolution, strawberry shortcake, lawn games, tractor rides and farm tours, horseback riders delivering the Declaration of Independence, and a reading of the Declaration. The farm has a historic farmhouse, barn, gift shop and farm animals. The NH Farm Museum is located at 1305 White Mt. Highway in Milton. Call 603-652-7840.

Cruise aboard the M/S Mount Washington on the Independence Day Dinner Cruise on July 4 from 7 to 10 pm. Enjoy dinner while the Mount cruises around Lake Winnipesaukee. For more information and reservations, call 603366-5531 or visit www.cruisenh.com The cruise sets off from Weirs Beach. Whether you’re taking in a celebratory 4th of July parade, watching the colorful fireworks in the night sky, or attending a bandstand concert, there’s no better place to be on Independence Day than the Lakes Region.

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3rd Annual Wolfeboro Lions Club Car Show

The Third annual Wolfeboro Lions Club Car Show roars into Wolfeboro on Saturday, July 1, from 11 am-2 pm at The Nick Recreation Park, 10 Trotting Track Road, Wolfeboro.

The event is free and open to the public, the Lions Club invites car & motorcycle owners to showcase their vehicles in a fun, non-judged, no classes show. This is a show and shine event, and pre-registration is not required. The Lions Club will be holding a 50/50 raffle, a $1000 raffle, and have a concession stand with burgers, hot dogs, sausage, and pepper subs with net proceeds to benefit the Wolfeboro Lions Charitable Fund. As a special treat, the Girl Scouts of Maine Troop #2271 will return with Girl Scout Cookies (while supplies last) and Sno-Cones. Participants will be entered into a door prize raffle.

The Nick Recreation Park, home of the Car Show, is a beautiful venue with plenty of parking, a playground, ADA accessible building with restroom facilities and outdoor covered seating, a dog park, athletic fields, and a walking track.

The Car Show is part of The Wolfeboro 4th of July Festival visit www. facebook.com/Wolfeboros-4th-of-July-Festival for details on other events.

The 3rd annual Wolfeboro Lions Club Car show is generously sponsored by: Accidents Happen Auto Body, Eastern Oil & Propane, Maxfield Real Estate, Kellar Williams Coastal and Lakes and Mountains Realty, P&D Zimmerman, Avery Insurance, F.L. Putnam, Granite State Glass, Doran Independent Insurance, Top Gear, Twin Ash Carpentry and Building, Wolfeboro Auto Supply, John & Nancy Askew, Meredith Village Savings Bank, Morrisseys’ Front Porch, PSI Molded Plastics and Wolfeboro Car Wash and Executive Detail. For more information on the Car Show contact Gina Lessard at 603-651-6598. Donations are graciously accepted.