Get Ready for a Bang-Up Fourth of July Celebration!

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

It’s the time of year for firecrackers, fireworks, parades and concerts, and old-fashioned fun. The 4th of July is a lively time in the Lakes Region; plan your schedule now for a great family time!

Weirs Beach offers fireworks on a regular schedule throughout the summer, and the display to celebrate the 4th of July will be beautiful. A spectacular fireworks show will light up the night sky on Thursday, July 3, at 10 pm over Weirs Beach, with sponsorship going to the city of Laconia and the Weirs Action Committee. Further fireworks are scheduled for July 19, as well as August 2, 16, and 31 at 9:30 pm. Visit www.weirsbeachfireworks.com for updates.

Laconia is celebrating on July 4 at Opechee Park at 915 North Main Street. The day kicks off with an Independence Day Parade, and the line-up will be at 3:30 pm at Laconia High School on Union Avenue. The parade starts at 4:30 pm and winds its way through downtown Laconia, ending at Opechee Park.

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

Center Harbor starts the holiday off with the 45th Annual Footrace on July 4; register from 7:15 to 9:30 am at the Center Harbor Municipal Building on Main Street. The event will include the Baby Crawl and Kids’ Races starting at 9 am. There also will be 1.776-mile and 5-mile races with awards at the Bandstand following the final runner. Automatic timing will be by Granite State Racing Services, and competitors will be able to get their race results on their phone in minutes. For questions and registration information, email parksandrecreation@centerharbornh.gov.

Later in the day, in downtown Center Harbor, celebrate with the town’s parade at 2 pm. The parade line-up and judging will be at Chase Circle in the downtown Center Harbor area at 1:30 pm. Interested people are encouraged to participate with a float - family and friends are welcome to join the parade.  There are also prizes awarded for best decorations and floats. You may also decorate your bicycle and ride in the parade. 

The Center Harbor Town Band will perform in a free concert at 7 pm at the Town Bandstand on Main Street. Bring a lawn chair or blanket for seating.  After the concert, enjoy fireworks over Center Harbor Bay at 9:15 pm. Visit centerharbornh.gov/parks-recreation for additional details.

Many people say Ashland has the best fireworks display around. This year’s theme is Stars and Stripes Forever. The town celebrates Independence Day from July 3 through 5.

Starting on July 3 from 4 to 9:30 pm, there will be a Food Truck Festival at the Ashland Ballfield. A concert in the park will feature Chris White, Red Daisy Revival, Rock the Park, and Peter Downing. At 9:30 pm, the National Anthem will be sung by Lucy Alexander, Blair Ferris, and Kendall Purdue. Fireworks follow.

On July 4, there will be 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 downtown, commencing from the Fire Station to the ball field. (If you plan to be in the parade, line up is behind the Ashland Fire Station on Mill Street between 8 and 9:30 am.)

There will be a community kickball game in the ball field with barbecue after the parade on July 4.

July 5 brings a 5K race sign-up at the Ashland Town Beach with a 9 am race start. Sign up at bit.ly/starsandstripes2025.

For Ashland 4th of July event information, visit https://ashlandnh.org/4th-of-july-committee.

A parade on July 4 will begin in the downtown area of Gilmanton. Also on July 4, a display of fireworks will take place at Crystal Lake Park at dusk. (The park opens at 7 pm.) There is a concession stand with food available. Email info@gilmanton4th.com for more information.

Head to Moultonborough for the 4th of July parade, which kicks off at 11 am on July 4 with the theme “Spirit of America.” The parade lines up at 10:15 am at Blake Road and will proceed along Route 25 and conclude at the Moultonborough Function Hall at 139 Old Rt. 109 for a free barbecue and trophy presentation. Call 603-476-8868 for details.

Alton Bay is a great place to take in the fireworks. Come early on July 3 for a concert at the bandstand by the water in Alton Bay (bring a lawn chair for seating). The concert runs from 7 to 9 pm and features The Thursday Afternoon Band. Fireworks light up the sky after the concert and are quite a beautiful sight. Call 603-875-0109 for additional information.

Wolfeboro’s parade is on July 4 and starts at 10 am. It is sponsored by the American Legion Post #18. The parade will go down Main Street, offering all kinds of floats and participants in costume. (The rain date is July 5 at 10 am.)

The theme for this year’s 4th of July in Wolfeboro is “American Spirit: Highlighting the Spirit of American Patriotism.”

Also, on July 4 in Wolfeboro, there will be a reading of the Declaration of Independence at 10 am on the Town Hall steps, live music in Cate Park at 6 pm, and fireworks over Wolfeboro Bay at dusk (around 9:30 pm.)

If you love classic (and other) cars, plan to attend the Wolfeboro Lions Club 5th Annual Car Show at the Nick on July 5 from 11 am to 2 pm (rain or shine). The Nick Recreation Park is located at 10 Trotting Track Road off Rt. 28 in Wolfeboro. The car show is a free and fun event.

On July 5, there will be a Cate Park concert at 7 pm in Wolfeboro with Love From Liverpool. Visit www.wolfeborochamber.com for details.

Bristol will present a number of fun 4th of July events, and the theme this year is “Stars, Stripes & Sparklers.” A parade will start at 10 am on July 4 in downtown Bristol and go to the Town Square and end at Newfound Memorial Middle School. Visit www.ttccrec.org for information.

The 12th Annual Newfound Firecracker 5K Road Race with 8 am registration will be followed by the race beginning at 8:30 am. The race starts at the far end of Kelley Park near the Newfound Middle School. Visit www.newfoundfirecracker5K.org for more information.

Bristol’s fireworks are on July 5, at the foot of Newfound Lake. Visit www.bristolnh.gov for more information. The rain date is July 11.

In Meredith, a fun Rubber Duck Race presented by the Meredith Lions Club happens on July 4 at 4 pm in Hesky Park. Tickets may be purchased at e-clubhouse.org/sites/meredith. The rubber ducks are spilled from a hopper behind the Mill Falls waterfall. Once the winning duck is determined, participants gather at Hesky Park’s gazebo in Meredith. The winning prize will be $1,000. Call 603-527-8114 for information.

If you love the mountains, head to Waterville Valley for a full day of 4th of July entertainment. On July 4, there will be a parade at 10:30 am with floats and fun. Line-up for the parade will be at the Waterville Valley Conference Center parking lot. Call 603-236-4695 for details.

Waterville Valley offers live music in the Town Square Gazebo on July 4 from noon to 3 pm with the Jamie Hughes Duo followed by North River Music from 6:30 to 9:30 pm, also on July 4. Enjoy the music from the beach, courtyard, or while boating on Corcoran Pond. (More music is scheduled for July 5 at the Town Square Gazebo with the band Too Lazy to Shave from 6 to 9 pm. There will also be a comedy night on July 5 at the Waterville Valley Conference Center from 7:30 to 10 pm. (Comedy Night tickets are $30 per person.)

Fireworks over Corcoran Pond in Waterville Valley start at 9:30 pm on July 4th and are best viewed from Town Square.

Tamworth has many things planned for the 4th of July, beginning with the Ordination Rock Run at 8 am, hosted by the Tamworth Outing Club. This race is an annual favorite; visit www.ordinationrockrun.com for details.

Tamworth Family Fun Day on July 4 will offer a parade at 11 am, food trucks, lawn games, music at the Distillery at noon, a craft fair at the Town House, and much more. The parade sign-up is at 10:30 am, and the parade will begin at 11 am, proceeding down Main Street.

On July 5, the Jonathan Sarty Band performs at 7 pm at KA Brett School in Tamworth. There will also be food trucks and everyone’s favorite: fireworks at 9:30 pm. Call 603-704-0856 for information.

At the NH Farm Museum, history abounds, and an old-fashioned 4th of July celebration will be held on July 5 with fun for the entire family. Stop by and join in a great day of celebrations. From 10 am to 4 pm, enjoy strawberry shortcake, house tours, an ice cream making demo, a special display of American flags from the 1700s to mid-1800s, and much more. The featured musician will be banjo player Bob Kilham.

The NH Farm Museum is located at 1305 White Mountain Highway in Milton. Call 603-652-7840 for more information.

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, see fireworks, and take in great entertainment. For more information and reservations, call 603-366-5531 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 explosions in the night sky, or enjoying a bandstand concert, there’s no better place to be on Independence Day than in the Lakes Region.