You know you’re hitting peak summer when homes and businesses are festooned with red, white and blue decorations, tables are laden with the freshest possible fruits and vegetables from our wonderful farms, and the air becomes charged with anticipation for parades and fireworks from the northern tip of our state to the beach towns in the south.
IN LEWES – JULY 4TH
This year promises to be an especially fun one, with my favorite – the annual Doo Dah Parade – marching right past our Lewes home. It’s going to happen sometime in the late afternoon (no one knows the exactly when), and will be followed by fireworks launched from a barge on Delaware Bay. But even before that we’ll celebrate beginning at 9 a.m. with games and other family festivities on Second Street, followed at 1:30 p.m. by the Lewes Independence Boat Parade traveling down the canal to the judges reviewing stand at 2 p.m.
IN REHOBOTH – JULY 5TH
Rehoboth also has a much loved fireworks display but it doesn’t happen until Saturday the 5th at around 9:30 p.m. Prior to that there will be music from The Funsters from 8 to 11 p.m. around the Bandstand. Parking downtown is very, very difficult on this busy holiday so you should either arrive early in the afternoon (and expect to circle a few blocks several times) or take the DART Beach Bus https://www.dartfirststate.com/RiderInfo/BeachBus/index.shtml. Get more details about this and more at https://www.rehobothbeachde.gov/experience-rehoboth-beach/calendar/.
IN DEWEY
The holiday action begins in Dewey around dusk with fireworks from another barge in Rehoboth Bay, with great views of all of it from the Rusty Rudder and Northbeach, with live music there and at the Bottle & Cork. Learn more at www.rustyrudder.com, www.northbeachdewey.com and https://www.bottleandcork.com/.
IN BETHANY
Bethany’s going big on the 4th with a parade beginning at noon featuring the 1st Delaware Regiment, The Dixie Express, the 1st State Detachment Marine Corps League, the 287th Army National Guard Band, Delaware Highlanders, The Honeycombs, and the Tidewater Brass Band. There will be more live music at the Bandstand at 7:30 p.m. and fireworks beginning around 9:30 p.m. Get all of the details at www.townofbethanybeach.com.
IN DOVER
Dover’s making the 4th an all-day affair with live music, a parade, and fun educational activities. It begins with old-time patriotic music on Victor Talking Machines at the Johnson Victrola Museum https://visitcentraldelaware.com/directory/johnson-victrola-museum/ from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Historic interpreters will be at First State Heritage Park https://www.destateparks.com/park/first-state-heritage/ from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and there will be free admission to the Biggs Museum of American Art https://www.thebiggsmuseum.org/ from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Festive foods will be available from 4 to 8:45 p.m. alongside lots of craft vendors at Legislative Mall, with music from DJ Giz (Shawn Fulton) and the US Army Field Band and Six-String Soldiers.
The parade kicks off at 6 p.m. from Hazel Street, followed by a C-17 flyover from Dover Air Base (weather permitting) and fireworks beginning at 9:15 p.m. at Leg Hall. Learn more at https://dover4thofjuly.com/index.html.
IN NEWARK
The University of Delaware Athletic Campus will host food and craft vendors and live music from Mike Hines and The Look beginning at 6 p.m., with fireworks at 9 p.m. Learn more at https://www.facebook.com/events/university-of-delaware-athletic-complex/4th-of-july-fireworks/3584748408487500/.
IN HOCKESSIN
Hockessin’s celebration begins with relay races at 8 a.m. and a parade from Old Lancaster Pike to Valley Road begins at 3 p.m. All afternoon there will be live music and food trucks, with fireworks visible from Swift Park, the Piedmont baseball fields, Hockessin Library and the Artesian soccer fields beginning at dusk. Get the details at https://www.visitwilmingtonde.com/event/hockessin-fourth-of-july-festival-and-fireworks/49239/.
IN WILMINGTON
The fun in downtown Wilmington begins at noon with live music and performances, kids games and attractions, and food trucks from participating restaurants until 3 p.m. There won’t be fireworks this year, but there are still many exciting events leading up to and after the 4th. Learn more at https://riverfrontwilm.com/events/.
IN SMYRNA-CLAYTON
This year’s parade in Smyrna begins at 9:30 a.m. and fireworks will start at dusk from Smyrna High School on Duck Creek Parkway. Learn more at https://www.visitdelaware.com/event/smyrna-clayton-annual-4th-of-july-celebration/88740/.