Beacon Journal staff report
Looking for fireworks, parades or other Fourth of July holiday events?
Here are some celebrations happening in the region:
TUESDAY-SATURDAY
Orrville — Carnival midway with rides, games and food at Orr Park. Firefighters Association Parade at 7 p.m. Tuesday. ASA Girls 14-and-under Fast Pitch Softball Tournament July 3-6. Fireworks about 10:15 p.m. Saturday.
WEDNESDAY-SATURDAY
Akron — The Rib, White & Blue festival, South Main Street between Bowery and State streets, and Lock 3 Park, next to Civic Theatre. Concerts, children’s rides, inflatables and food concessions, including barbecue vendors. Free admission. Hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day. Fireworks at Lock 3 following Akron Symphony Orchestra Pops concert at 9:45 p.m. Thursday. Wednesday concerts: The TwistOffs at 6 p.m., and Bruce in the USA, a tribute to Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band at 8:30 p.m. Thursday concerts: Alex Bevan at 4 p.m., University of Akron Steel Drum Band at 6 p.m. and the Akron Symphony Orchestra Pops at 8 p.m. Friday concerts: Jim Gill Band at 6 p.m. and Elevation, a tribute to U2, at 8:30 p.m. Saturday concerts: Joe Vitale Jr. Band at 6 p.m., and the Machine, Pink Floyd tribute, at 8:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY
Brunswick — Patriot Party at the Recreation Center, 3637 Center Road. 4-8 p.m., admission free. Take advantage of the fitness center, gymnasium, track and swimming pool. Concert by the Brunswick Community Band at 7 p.m. Fireworks display at 10:30 p.m. on the high school grounds. Rain date is Friday.
Hiram — Pre-fireworks concert at 7:30 p.m. at Hiram College football field. Fireworks at 9:30 p.m.
Massillon — First City of Champions Independence Day Celebration, 6-10:30 p.m., at Paul Brown Stadium. Little Miss and Mr. Liberty contest, performances by three bands, food vendors and kids crafts. Concludes with fireworks.
Medina — Fireworks Festival at Medina Community Recreation Center, 855 Weymouth Road, 4-11 p.m. Carnival games, food, inflatables, live music and more. Fireworks at dusk on Medina High School grounds.
Wadsworth — Fireworks at dusk at Memorial Park on Grandview Avenue. Rain date is Friday.
THURSDAY-SUNDAY
Spencer — Fourth of July Festival in J.B. Firestone Park. Parade at 11 a.m. Thursday. Rides open 2:30 to 11 p.m. Tommy Hall and the Sunlighters Band at 3 p.m. Park and rides open from noon to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tim Whalen and Sundown Band perform at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. Park open from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
THURSDAY
Alliance — Festival at Silver Park on South Union Avenue, 5 p.m. to dusk. Displays and entertainment with the theme of Alliance in the Roaring Twenties. The Kool Nights Band will perform. Pictures, old vehicles and a flyover of 1920s airplanes, weather permitting. Nature hunt, jump house, face painting and train ride. Food concessions. Fireworks at dark. Rain date Friday.
Akron — Hereford Park, North Highland Avenue and Wye Drive in Highland Square neighborhood. 11 a.m. parade. Sign up starting at 9:30 a.m. Prizes for best decorations and costumes.
Akron’s Castle Park neighborhood — Parade at 10:30 a.m. on Castle Boulevard starting at Dartmouth Avenue. Castle will be closed to traffic from Dartmouth to Garman Road from 10 a.m. to noon. Registration 10 to 10:25 a.m., $1 fee. Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and military veterans invited to march. Prizes for most patriotically creative bikes and trikes, wagons and strollers, walkers and rollerbladers, best dressed pet.
Aurora — 5K and 1-mile walk/run, Bicentennial Park, state Route 43 and East Pioneer Trail, at 8 a.m. (registration at 7 a.m.). Parade starts at 11 a.m. at Barrington Town Square. Festival from noon to 4 p.m. at Kiwanis Moore Park. Fireworks at Pioneer baseball fields, 9:45 p.m.
Canton — Canton Community Band concert at 8 p.m., William McKinley Presidential Library & Museum, 800 McKinley Monument Drive. Bring a chair or blanket or sit on the steps of the monument. Food vendors available. Fireworks at dusk.
Fairlawn — Parade starts at 6:30 p.m. in front of Fairlawn Town Centre, heading west on West Market Street to Ghent Road, ending in Dillard’s parking lot at Summit Mall.
Hiram — Family activities and bike decorating at Hiram Christian Church, noon to 1:30 p.m. Classic cars and fire department vehicle display, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Parade at 1:30 p.m. marches north on Hayden and Dean streets, left on Hinsdale Street, south to Peckham Avenue, down state Route 82, then back to the church. Community Band outdoor concert of patriotic songs at 4 p.m. Ice-cream social and big-band dance with Garretttones from 8 to 10 p.m.
Medina — Annual Twin Sizzler Races from 6 to 11 a.m. including a 5K Run, a 10K Run, a 1-mile Fun Run, 5K walk and 27-mile bike races. Race day registration at Garfield Elementary School, 234 S. Broadway St. Parade at 6 p.m. at Spring Grove and Liberty, ending at parking lot behind the courthouse. Medina Community Band concert at 8:30 p.m. at Uptown Park Gazebo.
North Canton — Two-mile walk/run at 8:10 a.m. and five-mile race at 8:30 a.m. at the North Canton YMCA. Firecracker Dash for ages 6 or younger at 7:45 a.m. Parade at 10:30 a.m. from Memorial Stadium parking lot off Seventh Street Northeast to North Main Street, south through the square to Harmon Street Southwest, and west to North Canton Middle School. Celebration in the Park near the stadium at 6 p.m. Food and entertainment. Fireworks at dusk at Dogwood Park.
Stow — Firecracker Run at 7:30 a.m. from Holy Family Church. Four-mile run and 3K fun run. Parade steps off at Stow-Kent Shopping Center on Kent Road at 10 a.m. and marches west, ending at Holy Family Church, 3163 Kent Road. For more information about the run, call 330-689-5100.
Valley City — Parade lines up at 10 a.m., from the depot on Center Road and ends at Mill Stream Park. Litchfield Town Band performs at 7 p.m. in the park. Fireworks at dusk.
Wadsworth — Concert at 7 p.m. with Wadsworth Community Band on the lawn in front of O.J. Work Auditorium. Jeff Young is clarinet soloist.
Wooster — Food vendors and other activities starting at 5 p.m. at Kinney property at Burbank and Oldman roads and Ida Sue Soccer Field. Fireworks about 10 p.m. Also, there will be a Ohio Light Opera Orchestra and Chorus Pops Concert at 7 p.m. at 377 W. Liberty St. It is sponsored by Main Street Wooster Inc.
FRIDAY
Hudson — Fireworks at Barlow Farm Park, 9:30 p.m. Parking is available at the JoAnn Stores lot. Rain date is Saturday.
Perry Township — Canal Fulton-Clinton Community Band will perform, 7:30 p.m., at Sippo Lake Park, 5710 12th St. NW. Also celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address. Bring a blanket or chair. In case of rain, concert will be indoors in the Exploration Gateway.
SATURDAY
Kent — The 18th annual Heritage Festival, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. in downtown Kent. Crafters and food vendors will line Main, North and South Water and Erie streets. Entertainment on three stages all day and activities for all ages. A car show will take place on West Erie Street. The Tree City 5K run starts at 7 p.m. at Dix Stadium. Fireworks downtown at 10 p.m.
Portage Lakes — Boat parade at 1 p.m., starting at Kieffer Marine on East Reservoir and ending at Portage Lakes State Park beach, where the sand castle-building contest will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Fireworks at 10 p.m. from Mason’s Point on Turkeyfoot Lake. Rain date is Sunday.