BRATTLEBORO — The “By the People: Brattleboro Goes Fourth” citizens committee invites the public to the town's 49th annual Independence Day celebration, set for Monday, July 4, with a morning parade downtown and afternoon and evening program of family activities and fireworks at Living Memorial Park.
Marching units - including the local American Legion and Brattleboro Union High School bands, veterans, and civic and youth groups - will kick off the festivities at 10 a.m. with a parade along a new route from Flat Street to Main Street to the town Common.
Brattleboro's Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, which is sponsoring the parade for a fifth year, will lead the march with its giant American flag, while local personality Alfred Hughes Jr. will conclude the event by debuting his annual top-secret ensemble.
Children seeking to decorate a bicycle for inclusion can meet at 9 a.m. at the Whetstone Parkway beside the Brattleboro Food Co-op.
The parade route also will host athletes in the Bill Powers Memorial Firecracker 4-Miler, set to run from Living Memorial Park at 9:30 a.m. through downtown to the Common.
BCTV will air the march live on local cable television and stream it on its Facebook and YouTube pages with commentary by longtime broadcaster Tim Johnson. For more information, visit brattleborotv.org.
After the parade, the Recreation & Parks Department will offer a series of public concerts, sporting events, and family activities at Living Memorial Park - just off Western Avenue and Interstate 91 Exit 2 - from 2:30 p.m. to the start of fireworks at 9:30 p.m.
Highlights include a Small Fry baseball All-Star Game at 2:30 p.m., a New England Center for Circus Arts performance at 5:45 p.m., a children's concert by Les Julian at 6:30 p.m., and the Miles Band from 7 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.
Separately, the Winston Prouty Center will host a free Windham Philharmonic concert at 3 p.m. on its grounds at 209 Austine Drive.
All “By the People: Brattleboro Goes Fourth” programs are free thanks to citizen, civic, and corporate donations.
More information is available by checking for updates on the Brattleboro Goes Fourth Facebook page, www.facebook.com/BrattleboroGoesFourth, or by emailing brattleborogoesfourth@gmail.com.