4th of July celebrations Cape Cod Islands; parades, fireworks, entertainment

Most July 4 celebrations across the country have had to be postponed for the past two years, due to concerns about the spread of the coronavirus. This year, towns and organizations on Cape Cod and the islands are going out of their way with celebrations, rejuvenated to celebrate the 246th Independence Day.

With the actual Monday holiday, events and activities are spread over the long weekend. If you’re looking for fireworks, parades, children’s activities, or discussions about what independence means to different parts of the American population, somewhere there’s an event for you. Here is a schedule:

Fireworks

friday july 1st

Orleans: 9 p.m. at Rock Harbor Beach, 11 Bay View Drive (July 5 rain date)

Saturday July 2

Shatam: Dusk at Veterans Field, 150 Depot Road

monday july 4th

Falmouth: At dusk over Falmouth Heights Beach, Grand Avenue and Central Park Avenue, Falmouth (5th July rain date)

Provincetown: At dusk over Provincetown Harbor

Edgartown: At 9 p.m. above Edgartown Harbor.

Nantucket: 9 p.m. at Jetties Beach, Bathing Beach Road (July 5 rain date)

Sandwich: At 10 p.m. in Shawme Pond, between Route 130 and Grove Street.

Parades

Sunday July 3

Osterville: 11 a.m., the annual Wianno Parade, beginning at the Junior Activities Building on Washington Avenue and proceeding in a circle to Sea View Avenue, passing the Wianno Club at 107 Sea View Ave.

monday july 4th

Barnstable-West Barnstable: 9:00 am, parade from the courthouse parking lot through the Village of Barnstable along Main Street, Route 6A, ends in Village Hollow (behind Barnstable Unitarian Church at 3330 Main Street) with family activities. (Rain date July 5)

Plymouth: 9:00 a.m., “A Tribute to Plymouth” Parade, starting at Cordage Park, 10 Cordage Park Circle, bearing right onto Route 3A South/Court Street. The route follows Court Street, which becomes Main Street and then Main Street Extension before turning left onto Water Street and ending at DCR Pilgrim Memorial State Park.

Wellfleet: 9:30 a.m., vintage car parade starting at Wellfleet Town Pier, followed by a parade of floats at 10 a.m., ride through the high street, ending at the harbour. The theme is “Celebrating the workers of Wellfleet”.

Shatam: 9:30 a.m., “Chatham: Salty as Ever” parade, starting at the intersection of Main Street and Shore Road, continuing to Main Street then taking a right onto Crowell Road.

Downtown : 10:00 am, from Centerville Elementary School, 658 Bay Lane, walk down Bay Lane, take a right onto Bumps River Road, then left onto Park Avenue and right onto Main Street. The parade ends at the Centerville Recreation Building, 524 Main St.

Orleans: 10:00 a.m., starting at Eldredge Park Way, then turning onto Route 6A, then onto Main Street, onto Route 28 and back to the parking lot.

Provincetown: 11 a.m., starting in the East End at the Harbor Hotel, 698 Commercial St., continuing to Commercial Street and ending on Franklin Street.

Cost: 11:00 a.m., starting on School St, then left on Main St and continuing on Main St to the old Cotuit Elementary School at 140 Old Oyster Road.

Hyannisport: 11:00 am, starting at the Hyannisport Post Office, 44 Longwood Ave., continue on Washington Avenue then take a left on Lafayette Avenue, turn right on Scudder Avenue. The parade ends at the West Beach Club on Dale Avenue.

Sandwich: 11:00 a.m., “Spirit of Sandwich” parade beginning at Old Henry T. Wing School, 33 Water St. Parade continues down Water Street, turns right onto Main Street, then right onto Beale Avenue, ending at Morse Road.

Hyannis Harbor Boat Parade: 2:00 PM, the traditional Hyannis Marina Boat Parade begins at Hyannis Harbor.

Edgartown (Martha’s Vineyard): 5:00 p.m., beginning at the intersection of West Tisbury Road and Pinehurst Road, through the center of Edgartown, ending at Edgartown School, 35 Robinson Road.

Other activities

Saturday July 2

Falmouth: 11:00 a.m., Annual reading of the Declaration of Independence and excerpts from “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” by Frederick Douglass at the Museums on the Green, Palmer Avenue, Falmouth. https://museumsonthegreen.org/

monday july 4th

Sandwich: 8:30 a.m. road race at Wing School, 33 Water St.; noon, picnic in the park, followed by musical performances at the Wing school; 12:30 p.m., traditional egg toss at the Wing School grounds; 7:30 p.m., evening concert on Shawme Pond; 9:00 p.m. Boat Parade on Shawme Pond, Route 130 near Hoxie House. https://sandwichma.myrec.com/info/default.aspx

Nantucket: 10:00 a.m., “Spotlight on Democracy” panel discussion at the Dreamland Film & Cultural Center, 17 S. Water St., with CNN reporter David Gregory, Susan Glasser of The New Yorker, and Peter Baker of The New York Times. https: www.nantucketdreamland.org

Nantucket: 10:00 a.m. Main Street activities include fire trucks participating in the water barrel drop competition, potato sack races, three-legged races, wheelbarrow races and tug of war at Children’s Beach.

Green Village, Hyannis: 11 a.m., family activities including inflatables, railroad rides, bubbles and puppets, musical shows throughout the day and folk dances http://www.hyannismainstreet.com/events/2022-fourth-of-july-celebration/

Main Street, Hyannis: 5:30 p.m., various activities on Principale Street, including band performances, live jazz, a Brazilian music ensemble, country music. http://www.hyannismainstreet.com/events/2022-fourth-of-july-celebration/

Dennis: 7 p.m., the swing ensemble Sounds Dunes will be featured in a “4th of July Spectacular!” concert on the Village Green, Route 6A, Dennis, sponsored by the Village Improvement Society; https://www.villageimprovementsocietyofdennisma.com/.

Plymouth: 7:30 p.m., the Plymouth Philharmonic performs its annual concert at DCR Pilgrim Memorial State Park.

Edgartown: 8 p.m., “Firefly Night,” an alternative 4th of July celebration at Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, in search of fireflies. Tickets: $15, $10 for members. https://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/wildlife-sanctuaries/felix-neck

Hyannis: 8 p.m. The Cape Symphony performs a free “Joy4July” concert at Aselton Park, South Street.

tuesday july 5

East Falmouth: 5:00 p.m., Cape Cod Cape Verdean Museum and Cultural Center, 67 Davisville Road will host an annual reading of the Declaration of Independence and excerpts from “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” by Frederick Douglass.

Kathi Scrizzi Driscoll contributed to this story.