Best Fourth of July celebrations – The Virginian

Join the celebration of our nation’s 236th birthday with parties and pyrotechnics. Community celebrations offer a generous helping of music, games, food, fireworks and fun. However you choose to honor Independence Day, wave Old Glory high and be safe out there. Here’s a list of some of the region’s festivities. All phone numbers are the 757 area code unless otherwise noted.

A Shore Thing Concert and Independence Day Celebration, music (Atlantic Groove), fireworks (9:30 p.m.) and more from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday at Ocean View Beach Park, 111 W. Ocean View Ave., Norfolk. 441-2345. www.festevents.org.

Norfolk Tides baseball post-game fireworks, Tides vs. Syracuse Chiefs. Game time: 7:15 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at Harbor Park, 150 Park Ave., Norfolk. 622-2222.

Celebrate Freedom, music by TRADOC Army Band (7:30 p.m.), fireworks (9:15 p.m.), children’s activities and more from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday at Grassfield High School, 2007 Grizzly Trail, Chesapeake. 382-6411.

Liberty Celebration, featuring re-enactors, re-created Continental Army encampment, artillery demonstrations, games and more from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday at Yorktown Victory Center, 200 Water Street. 253-4838.

Patriotic pyrotechnics, 9:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday at Busch Gardens, 1 Busch Gardens Blvd., Williamsburg. 800-343-7946.

30th Annual ATT Fourth of July Great American Picnic Fireworks, patriotic tunes by United States Army Training and Doctrine Command Band, fireworks (9:30 p.m.) food and more from 5 to 10 p.m. Wednesday at Town Point Park, Waterside Drive, Norfolk. 441-2345. www.festevents.org.

July 4th Celebration, music by Rachel Rocheleau and The Beadle Brothers, children’s activities, festival foods, fireworks (9:30 p.m.) and more from 4 to 10 p.m. Wednesday at Mount Trashmore Park, 310 Edwin Drive, Virginia Beach. 385-2990. www.vbgov.com/specialevents.

Stars Stripes Explosion, fireworks (launched from a barge off 20th Street at 9:30 p.m.), music and more Wednesday at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. Music: Local 34 (7:30 p.m. 17th Street Stage), Symphonicity and the Virginia Beach Chorale (8 p.m. 20th Street on the Beach), Chester B’s Motown Tribute Show (8 p.m. 24th Street Park), Who’s Bad “Michael Jackson Tribute” (8 p.m. 31st Street Park). 491-7866. www.beachstreetusa.com.

Independence Day Celebration, “Salute to the States” Wednesday featuring Colonial Williamsburg’s Fifes and Drums with musket and cannon salutes (10 a.m.), “Reading of the Declaration of Independence” (noon), Virginia Symphony Orchestra performs (8 p.m.), fireworks (9:30 p.m.) and more in Colonial Williamsburg. (800) 447-8679. www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/summer.

Stars Stripes Spectacular, music by Island Boy, fireworks (9 p.m.), food, children’s activities and more from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday at Constant’s Wharf Park and Marina, 110 E. Constance Road, Suffolk. 514-7250. www.suffolkva.us/parks/events/.

Cradock’s 94th annual Patriotic Salute Children’s Bike Parade, children’s bike parade at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at Afton Parkway and George Washington Highway in Historic Cradock, Portsmouth. Followed by a flag ceremony, music and more at the gazebo in Afton Square. 485-9471. www.historiccradock.org.

4th of July Stars in the Sky, fireworks (9:30 p.m.), music by Cheap Thrills (7 p.m.) and Carbon Leaf (8:15 p.m.), food and children’s activities from 7 to 10 p.m. Wednesday at Victory Landing Park, 23rd Street at the James River, Newport News. 926-1400.

July Fourth Celebration, opening ceremonies at 11 a.m., bicycle and float parade at 11:30 a.m., games and activities from noon to 3 p.m., raft race at 3 p.m., music by Nate Sparks Band from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and fireworks at 9 p.m. Wednesday at Ebenezer United Methodist Church, 1589 Steeple Drive, Suffolk. 238-2359.

4th of July Celebration, parade, music (My Two Cents), food, children’s activities and more from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday at Lakeside Park, 1441 Bainbridge Blvd., Chesapeake. 543-0828.

Independence Day Fireworks Spectacular, 9:25 p.m. Wednesday on the ocean pier, milepost 11.5 on N.C. Route 12, S. Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head. 252-441-7132.

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