July 2, 2024 | By Lisa Scagliotti

Waterbury’s Independence Day celebration may be over but a variety of other festivities for the holiday are scheduled around the region that local residents may want to check out.

*Circus Smirkus Big Top Tour 2024 poster*

Note that the Waterbury Farmers Market and the Rotary Concert in the Park will not take place this Thursday. They will be back to the regular schedule next week on July 11.

The big event in town this week is Circus Smirkus, Vermont’s nonprofit youth circus from Greensboro, at Farr’s Field on U.S. Route 2 performing six shows – 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. today, Wednesday and Thursday.

Tonight’s 6 p.m. performance is sold out but tickets are available for the other times. Circus leaders say they could still use local volunteers to help with tasks at each performance such as directing parking, helping with seating, handing out programs, etc. Volunteers get free admission to the show as well.

More details on tickets and volunteering are online at smirkus.org/tourschedule. See an earlier post about this year’s Big Top Tour here.

Here are some highlights for July 3-4 celebrations around the region.

July 3: Montpelier, Burlington

Burlington and Montpelier hold their Independence Day celebrations on July 3.

Burlington

Burlington’s celebration takes place at Waterfront Park between 5 and 11 p.m. Live music includes the bands Sambatucada (familiar to Waterbury from the River of Light Lantern Parade), The Full Cleveland, and the Burlington Concert Band playing on the boardwalk, at Battery Park and on the main stage.

Food vendors will be set up and there will be family-friendly activities. Green Mountain Transit also will provide shuttle buses from UVM’s Patrick Gym for $2.

The fireworks and lights show is at 9:30 p.m. with Lake Champlain as a backdrop.

More information including parking and even boat traffic is online at btvjuly3.com.

Montpelier

The city celebration runs from 3 to about 10 p.m. but a variety of activities are happening throughout the day in Montpelier. The State House is open for self-guided tours all day long; there’s free admission at the city swimming pool. The Kellogg-Hubbard Library hosts a reading of Frederick Douglass’ famous 1852 Independence Day speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” with art activities and fire dancing, too. The Vermont History Museum’s “For the Love of Vermont” exhibition opens and the Montpelier Fire Department invites the community to visit and take photos (as long as they don’t need to respond to a call). Multiple pubs have live music in the evening.

The Food Truck Festival and FamilyFest on the State House Lawn starts at 3 p.m. The annual Montpelier Mile Road Race is held at 6 p.m., followed immediately by the community parade. Dave Keller and his band perform live at the State House following the parade with fireworks at dusk (shortly after 9 p.m.)

More details and a full schedule are online at montpelieralive.com.

July 3-4: Williston

Independence Day is a multi-day celebration in Williston. It begins on Wednesday, July 3, late afternoon with the annual Friends of the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library Book Sale, 4-6 p.m. at Williston Central School. Add in an Ice Cream Social and Town Band concert on the Village Green starting at 6:30 p.m. The book sale continues on Thursday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

On the 4th, there’s a parade of course in the morning -- 10 a.m. on U.S. Route 2/Williston Road from Johnson Farm to Old Stage Road. The Village Green is the hub for the day’s activities including food and beverages, and booths from community organizations.

Morning/early afternoon open houses are happening at the Old Brick Church (run by church trustees), the Stovepipe Corners Schoolhouse (hosted by Williston Historical Society), and the Williston Fire Department. The evening activities and food are at Village Community Park with a parking shuttle available from multiple locations. Fireworks are at the park around 9:20 p.m.

On Saturday, July 6, there’s the Deb Beckett Memorial 5K Run/Walk starting at 8 a.m.

Lots more information and details on the schedule and events are online on the Williston Recreation Department website.

July 4: Warren, Stowe, Richmond

Warren

Warren’s 75th “almost consecutive” Fourth of July parade with the theme this year “State of the Union” starts with a cannon boom at 10 a.m.

Main Street closes to traffic starting at 8:30 a.m. Parking with free shuttle buses is available at Lincoln Peak at Sugarbush ski area from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Buddy Badge tradition continues for $1 where parade-goers can seek and find another with the same badge number for prizes. Music, food, dancing, and family-friendly activities will be held at Brooks Field at Warren Elementary School immediately following the parade into the afternoon. Live music this year by Phineas Gage & Phriends.

Main Street reopens around 3 p.m.

The fireworks show at Lincoln Peak at Sugarbush should happen around 9:15 p.m.

Check out the details online at madrivervalley.com/4th. In addition, Sugarbush has a full schedule of holiday activities July 2-4. Find those details online at sugarbush.com.

Stowe

The Moscow parade kicks off the day’s celebrations in Stowe on the 4th. It’s scheduled for 10 a.m sharp, according to the Stowe Reporter.

The activities shift to Main Street from 10:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. The “shortest marathon” in honor of U.S. Marine Lt. Ryan Casey happens on the rec path at 11 a.m. The July 4 parade starts at noon at the intersection of Main Street and Mountain Road with emcee Rusty Dewees.

Food vendors, activities and live music performances continue along Main Street after the parade. The celebration continues at Mayo Fields starting at 6 p.m. with more food, music and hayrides. It ends with fireworks at dusk. More information online at stowevibrancy.org.

Richmond

Richmond’s July 4 celebration begins with a Fun Run at 10:30 a.m. and ends with fireworks at 9:45 p.m.

The run starts at Camels Hump Middle School and ends at Volunteers’ Green.

In between there’s a parade at 10:35 a.m., food trucks, games and activities, a community band concert, karaoke for both kids and adults, and more live music. There are prizes for parade entries and everyone is encouraged to dress for the theme of the day, “Fairy Tales.”

For more information, visit facebook.com/richmondparade or the town website.

*The Vermont Symphony Orchestra’s summer tour is an annual tradition. Photo courtesy of the VSO*

Also this week, VSO’s Summer Festival Tour

The Vermont Symphony Orchestra’s annual Summer Festival Tour is this week with six performances, the closest being in Stowe on Sunday, July 7, at the Trapp Family Lodge.

Other dates are tonight in Castleton, Grafton on Wednesday, Shelburne on Thursday the 4th, South Pomfret on Friday, East Burke on Saturday.

The “Symphony of Stars” program celebrates the VSO’s 90th year with JOhn Philip Sousa marches, pieces from John Williams’ “E.T.” score and solos by VSO musicians, Andrew Crust conducting.

Tickets for the Stowe performance are $35 in advance, $40 at the gate; children 5 and under are free; ages 6-17 are $10. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. for picnicking with the performance scheduled for 7:30-10 p.m. Rain site is Stowe High School.

Gate and show times are the same for the Shelburne July concert with ticket prices at: $28 in advance, $35 at the gate, $5 for ages 6-17.

More information online at vso.org.

Getting out and celebrating Independence Day