Enjoy the best fireworks in the valley on Independence Day weekend. The best spots for viewing and celebrating our nation's independence are right here in the downtown area. 540-432-8934 or https://downtownharrisonburg.org/annual-events/.

 

Celebrate your Independence Day Weekend at Bryce Resort with the annual, family-friendly Bryce Fest.  Browse our vendor village full of unique local crafts and food. Dance the night away to live music and close out the evening with a spectacular fireworks display. 540-856-2121 ext. 282 or https://bryceresort.com/events-and-activities.

Join us at the “Hot Air Balloons and Music Festival" at Virginia Horse Center. Bring a chair or blanket to sit on and enjoy great local bands, a variety of food and merchandise vendors, beer, children’s activities and most of all beautiful hot air balloons. Piloted flights soaring overhead, tethered rides, nighttime glows. Admission/parking is free and dogs are welcome. A fundraiser for local Rockbridge County Charities. www.balloonsoverrockbridge.com/.

"Happy Birthday America" will be held at Gypsy Hill Park. Bring your lawn chair and join us for a beauty contest at the Rec building by the golf course on the 2nd. And on the 3rd Vendors on the main lot and carnival rides at noon, vesper service begins 6:30pm at main stage on the ball field, and "Heaven's Mountain" band 8pm. On the 4th the "Firecracker 5k" Run/Walk at 7:30am, a parade at 10am, fireworks at 10pm and more. Music by the “Stonewall Brigade Band” “Wilson Fairchild”, “US Army National Guard" 29th Division Rock Band  and Gene Watson. 540-332-3865 or www.happybirthdayamerica.org/faq.

Join the The Bank of Clarke at the Clarke County Fairgrounds, 890 West Main Street, at 8pm, for free fireworks after dark and a free band concert at 8pm. Visit https://clarkecountyfair.org/ or 540-686-6792.

Join us on Main Street for our "Freedom Food Festival" in the downtown area from 5-10pm. We will be converted into a community street and music festival featuring live music, beer/wine sales, desserts, and tasty July 4th picnic-style fare. Free admission. Community family friendly festival with food, beer, wine, and music. The public may enjoy watching the bands and sitting in the general admission area at no cost, and no tickets are necessary. Call 540-463-3777 or visit https://lexington–virginia.com/events/freedom-food-festival.

Come down to the C&O Railway Heritage Center, 705 Main Street, at 6pm where our local non profits will have plenty of great food for sale, while you enjoy performances by the "Celebration Choir". An awesome fireworks show will begin at dusk. Be sure to join us downtown Monday, the 4th for more festivities. Our Stars and Stripes parade will start at 11am followed by our ceremony honoring Veterans and First Responders in the Historic Masonic Theatre, 510 Main Street. Local vendors will also be set up offering a great variety of food and crafts. Call 540-862-8653 or visit https://cliftonforgemainstreet.org/.

Our Annual July 4th Celebration will have music, kid’s activites, cornhole tournaments, crafters, food vendors, Nascar simulator and more. A parade down Main Street at 5pm and fireworks at dusk. 540-877-4594.

July 4–Staunton.

4th of July Celebration at the Frontier Culture Museum, 1290 Richmond Avenue from 9am-5pm. 540-332-7850 or www.frontiermuseum.org/2023-events/4th-of-july-celebration#.

69th Annual 4th of July Parade and Fireworks. The parade will begin making its way up Main Street beginning at 5pm, then join us for music by "Cimmaron", and a carnival, then at 10pm you can enjoy our fireworks at the Town Park. 540-254-1212 ext.3 or www.townofbuchanan.com/.

Join us for the "Children's Parade" at  Inn Lawn Park, 103 Zerkel Street, from 10-11am, then come downtown for our "Downtown Get Down" event, from noon-9pm and "Party on the Plaza" from 6-9pm. 540-743-3915.

Independence Day Fireworks at Shenandoah County Fairgrounds, gates open at 8:30pm and the show starts at approximately 9:30pm. Free admission. Rain date the 5th. Call 540-459-2444 or visit www.townofwoodstockva.gov/172/Events.

Town events: Independence Celebration at the Town Park on the 4th from 6-9pm and on the15th "Scooops and Hoops" at the Assembly of God, 556 Ash Street, from 10:30-12:30pm. For details 540-465-9197 ext. 128.

Glen Maury Park events: Independence Day Concert and Fireworks on the 4th; Fridays in the Park featuring "Evolution" on the 14th;  Beach Music Festival on the 28th-29th. For more details call 540-377-5545.

July 5–New Market.

Independence Day Celebration at the Community Park. The celebration activities start at 5pm with a fireworks display around 9:20pm. Come visit with your family, friends and neighbors. Bring chairs or blankets to enjoy the evening. (No Pets Allowed). 540-740-3432.

Join Big Meadows Lodge, Mile 51.2, Skyline Drive, to learn what to do when the "What Ifs" of your outdoor adventures turn into the "Now Whats". This course will teach you the best items to take on any outdoor adventure and how best to use them in a survival situation. Led by Shenandoah Mountain Guides. Meet at the grassy lawn area in front of the main lodge building 30 minutes prior to the event. To register www.goshenandoah.com/activities-events or 877-847-1919.

Town events: "Cruz-In" on First Street, on the 7th, from 6pm to 9pm; then on the 21st, "Free Movie Night" featuring the movie "Trolls" starting 8:30pm at the lot next to 442 First Street. Bring a blanket or lawn chair. Join us on the 29th for our free "Music in the Park" at  Big Gem Park, 736 Fourth Street from 6pm-8pm. Isaac Stroupe will be playing. Call 540-652-6027 or visit online www.townofshenandoah.com/calendar/month/2023-07.

Ready for a real summer celebration? There will be a special fireworks display shot off from the top of Sunset Park. This should provide for a spectacular view from just about anywhere in Waynesboro. Start thinking of the possible great viewing spots… your front yard, neighborhood, or other areas in Waynesboro. If you can see Sunset Park, then you'll be able to see the fireworks. Please note that Sunset Park will be closed to the public. (That's just the location the fireworks will be shot from.) www.waynesboro.va.us/1079/Sunset-Spectacular.

Clarke County Fairground, 890 West Main Street, will host The Onion Monster Truck Show on the 8th, rain date on the 9th, and the Shenandoah Valley Steam & Gas Engine presents the Annual "Pagent of Steam" show on the 28th-30th. 540-686-6792 or go to https://clarkecountyfair.org/.

Join us for our “Red, White and Brew” event at Heritage Park, 180 Turner Avenue. For more information visit https://broadwayva.gov/red-white-and-brew/ or 540-896-5152.

Is your kid a history buff? Do they love hands-on learning? Are you looking for an educational and exciting opportunity for your child? All of these are great reasons to sign up for the Civil War Day Camp at the Virginia Museum of the Civil War. Open to children ages 7-12; this program has something for everyone. Each camp day will focus on a different theme. Find out what Civil War life was like for Confederate and Union soldiers, VMI Cadets and civilians on the home front. www.vmi.edu/museums-and-archives/virginia-museum-of-the-civil-war/events/ or 866-515-1364.

July 12-15–Bridgewater.

The Volunteer Fire Company will host the "85th Annual Lawn Party". Bring the family and enjoy live music, rides, food, games, parades, and more.  All proceeds go directly to support the Bridgewater Volunteer Fire Company so we can continue to serve our community. Free shuttle bus service will run from Turner Ashby High School beginning every night at 6-11pm. For details call 540-828-3121, option 3, or visit www.bridgewaterfire.com/lawn-party-schedule.

Join America’s most celebrated living artist at the Barn Show & Gallery Open House to have your artwork signed and personalized. Friday and Saturday, 11am to 4pm and Sunday, 12-3pm. The Waynesboro Gallery located at 329 West Main Street will open at 10am on Friday and Saturday, and at 11am on Sunday. For complete information please call the Waynesboro Gallery at 540-949-6473.

Need a break from the norm, unwind, meet new people, or just spend a couple of days trying something new? Join North Mountain Outfitter at Four Winds Ranch for the "Ultimate Cowgirl Adventure Weekend". This is an adventure you are not going to want to miss and will etch a memory forever. To register call 540-886-7768 or www.northmtnoutfitter.com/ultimate-cowgirl-adventure.

Riley Outdoor Concert Series at W.O. Riley Park from 6-9pm. Music by The River's Edge on the 14th and Music by Josh Grigsby and County Line on the 28th. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and dancing shoes. Free admission and food for sale. 540-459-3621.

73rd Annual Chicken BBQ Dinner and Silent Auction will be held at the John H. Enders Fire Company and Rescue Squad, 9 South Buckmarsh Street, from 11am-7pm. This event is a family friendly, fun-filled afternoon with a display of firetrucks, station bay tours, cornhole, prizes, kid's coloring stations and more. We will also have a table set up for merchandise sales and donations www.facebook.com/events/1416641865791090/ or 540-955-1110.

Cave Comedy Fest at Melrose Civil War Caverns. 6639 North Valley Pike. Saturday 10am-9pm and Sunday 10am-5pm. Enjoy a unique comedy experience! In its second year, it's a fun fest with X2 Comedy shows inside the cave with X2 Comedy's New Basement Comics group of upcoming local comics, X2's Founder Dawn Davis Womack & Husband Chris Womack JMU's Funny Professor with Headliner Winston Hodges, DC's Premier Comic and X2 Fan Fav! Plus, there will be cave tours, axe throwing outside on festival grounds, food, wine, beer and other activities! 10% of the proceeds benefit Living Waters Freedom Initiative, a non-profit for Vets Helping Vets. X2 Comedy's popular comedy shows are high quality clean comedy PG-13 events featuring the most sought after hilarious local, regional and national comedians. Tickets $10 - $65 with VIP ticket options. Buy tickets at www.x2comedy.com or www.melrosecaverns.com/comedy. Questions call Dawn 540-560-3356 or bookx2comedy@gmail.com.

It is never too early to enjoy the holidays. Join us as we celebrate our 3rd Annual "Christmas in July" at the Gypsy Hill Park Pool from 6-8pm. Festivities include: a visit from Santa, holiday trivia contest, christmas crafts and other winter themed pool activities. Who knows, maybe a snowball fight might even happen. Enjoy Christmas music and be free to wear your own holiday outfit to the pool. Free admission. www.ci.staunton.va.us/home/showpublisheddocument/11550 (pg. 6). 540-332-3945.

The Shenandoah Valley Music Festival at 217 Shrine Mont Circle, events: "Three Dog Night" on the 21st; "Don McLean" on the 22nd; "The Doo-Wop Project" on the 28th; "The Tribute" on the 29th. Blankets, low beach chairs and standard lawn chairs are all welcome. All events start at 8pm. For tickets call 540-459-3396 or https://musicfest.org/performance-schedule/.

The Augusta County Fair, at Augusta Expo is an opportunity to see and experience events like the rally race on the 25th, diesel dirt drags on the 26th, demolition derby on the 27th, and tractor pull on the 28th-29th. Also a piano juggler, tactical laser tag for ages 7-adults, live music, circus, the marvelous muts, and so much more. 540-245-5627 or www.augustacountyfair.com/.

98th Annual Volunteer Fireman’s Pony Swim and Auction. On the 26th, the Saltwater Cowboys will swim the ponies from Assateague Island to Chincoteague Island. The auction on the 27th helps to control the overall size of the herd. Also they use some of the proceeds from the sale for veterinary care for the ponies and give to a regional charity. For more information call 757-460-6161 or visit www.chincoteague.com/pony_swim_guide.html.

Join us for the "25th  Silver Anniversary Music Festival" at Glen Maury Park. The event is held rain or shine. Music performances will be by Cat 5,  Blackwater, the Entertainers, and Band of Oz. Bring your chairs and no outside food/drink or pets allowed. Also a decorate your tent compettion with a prize for the best tent. Admission fee. 540-460-1576 or http://www.beachmusicfestival.net/ for more detail.

The Frederick County Fair, will have a bullride mania rodeo, monster trucks, demolition derby, tot's pig scramble, a "got talent contest", music, agriculture exhibits and lots more. Ruritan chicken dinner available till sold out each day. Admission fee. www.frederickcountyfair.com/ or 540-667-8739.

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