Fourth of July weekend events

Time to celebrate!

Plenty of parties and pyrotechnics will be popping up for Independence Day. Hampton Roads offers an array of ways to celebrate the nation's birthday. A quiet cookout or neighborhood get-together might sound good - or maybe a big community bash with music, games and fireworks.

Here's a list of some of the region's festivities to help you decide. Also, don't forget to check with your local libraries and recreation centers for other patriotic events. All numbers are 757 area code unless otherwise noted.

- Roy Bahls

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Hampton Roads

• Grand Opening of Town Point Park, Harborfest & 4th of July Great American Picnic, music (headliners include Collective Soul 8:30 tonight, Lee Greenwood 8 p.m. Saturday and Joe Nichols 6:15 p.m. Sunday), food, fireworks (10 tonight, 9:30 p.m. Saturday and 7:30 p.m. Sunday ), children's activities, and more noon to 11 p.m. today and Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday at Town Point Park, Waterside Drive, Norfolk. 441-2345, www.festevents.org
• Stars & Stripes Explosion, music, fireworks and more Saturday at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. Fireworks at 9:30 p.m. at 20th Street. Music: Revolution: The Beatles Tribute (7 and 10 p.m. 17th Street park), The English Channel (7 and 10 p.m. 24th Street park), Symphonicity and Virginia Beach Chorale (8 p.m. 20th Street stage on the beach) and The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience (8:30 and 10 p.m. at 31st Street park). 491-7866, www.beachstreetusa.com
• Independence Day, "A Salute to the States" featuring the Williamsburg Militia, Colonial Williamsburg's Fifes and Drums and cannon salutes at 10 a.m. Saturday, "Reading of the Declaration of Independence" at 12:30 p.m., fireworks at 9:15 p.m. and more in Colonial Williamsburg. (800) HISTORY, www.history.org
• July Fourth Celebration, music (Bull City Syndicate), children's activities, festival food, fireworks (9:30 p.m.) and more from 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday at Mount Trashmore Park, 310 Edwin Drive, Virginia Beach. 385-2990.
• Salute to the Union, featuring a 50-gun salute at 11:55 a.m. Saturday at Continental Park, Fort Monroe. 788-3207.
• The Shore Thing Concert and Independence Day Celebration,
• 6:30 p.m. Saturday with music by FAB, dancing, festival food, fireworks (9:30 p.m.). Ocean View Beach Park, 111 W. Ocean View Ave., Norfolk. 441-2345.
• Fourth of July Celebration, featuring a parade, games, entertainment, food and more from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Lakeside Park, 1441 Bainbridge Blvd., Chesapeake. Music by 10 Spot at noon. 382-6411.
• Fourth at the Fort, fireworks at 9:30 p.m., music, food and more 5 to 11 p.m. Saturday at Walker Army Airfield, Fort Monroe. Music by The Average White Band, Tidewater Drive and Gator Allmond and the Spice of Life Band. 788-3151.
• Liberty Celebration, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday featuring Revolutionary War re-enactors, artillery drills and more at Yorktown Victory Center, Water Street and Colonial Parkway, Yorktown. (888) 593-4682, www.historyisfun.org
• Post-Baseball Game Fireworks, Norfolk Tides vs. Gwinnett Braves at 7:15 tonight at Harbor Park, 150 Park Ave., Norfolk. 622-2222.
• Under the Stars Concert and Fireworks, 7:30 tonight (music by the U.S. Fleet Forces Band) and fireworks (at dark) at Chesapeake City Park, 900 Greenbrier Pkwy. 382-6411.
• Yorktown Fourth of July Celebration, 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday featuring music (The Fifes and Drums of York Town, The U.S. Air Force Heritage of America Band and more), arts and crafts, children's activities, fireworks (9:15 p.m.) and more. Historic Yorktown. 890-3500, www.yorkcounty.gov/fourth
• Fourth of July Stars in the Sky, music featuring the Jimmy Jones Band, children's activities, food, fireworks (9:30 p.m.) and more. 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday at Victory Landing Park, 23rd Street at the James River, Newport News. 926-1400.
• July Fourth Celebration, opening ceremonies at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, bicycle and float parade at 11:30 a.m., rides and games from noon to 3 p.m., raft race at 3 p.m., music (Nate Sparks and Pamunkey River Ramblers) from 6:30 p.m. and fireworks at 9 p.m. Ebenezer United Methodist Church, 1589 Steeple Drive, Suffolk. 238-2359.
• YMCA Independence Day 5K/1 Mile Run/Walk, 5K Run/Walk at 7:30 a.m., Mile Run at 8:45 a.m. and Tot Trot at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Mount Trashmore Family YMCA, 4441 South Blvd., Virginia Beach. 456-9622,
• www.ymcaindependencedayrun.org
• Fourth of July Town Picnic, music, food, children's activities, fireworks
• (9:30 p.m.) and more 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday. Robinson Park, Duke Street, Windsor. 242-4288.
• Fireworks, 9:15 tonight and Saturday at Busch Gardens, 1 Busch Gardens Blvd., Williamsburg. (800) 343-7946.
• Cradock's Patriotic Salute and Children's Bike Parade, bike parade at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Afton Parkway and George Washington Highway in historic Cradock, Portsmouth. Flag ceremony at 10 a.m. at the Cradock gazebo followed by July Fourth birthday cake. 515-3739.
• July Fourth Laser Fireworks, planetarium program at 7 and 8 p.m. Saturday at the Virginia Living Museum 524 J. Clyde Morris Blvd., Newport News. 595-1900.

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NORTH CAROLINA

• Independence Day Celebration, fireworks (dusk), music (Boomerangs at 5:30 p.m. and Stephen Cochran at 7:30 p.m.), food and more at 5 p.m. Saturday at the Whalehead Club, Currituck Heritage Park, Corolla, N.C. (252) 453-9612.
• Manteo Fourth of July Celebration, music, children's activities, food, fireworks at dark and more. 2 p.m. Saturday along the waterfront in Manteo, N.C. Music by Feather & Folly, Old Enough to Know Better and others. (252) 473-2133.
• Fabulous Fourth on the River, music, fireworks (9 p.m.), children's activities and more from 5 to
• 9:30 p.m. Saturday at Waterfront Park, Elizabeth City, N.C. Music by UpHill Band and the Army's TRADOC Band. (252) 335-5330.
• Fireworks, at dark Saturday. Also, music and food at 5 p.m. at Avon Fishing Pier, Avon, N.C. (252) 995-5480.
• Fireworks, at dark Saturday. Avalon Fishing Pier, Kill Devil Hills, N.C. (252) 449-5300.

Find more in the HamptonRoads.com Events database