Members of the Powerhouse Ministries take part in the Smyrna-Clayton Fourth of July Parade. Last year’s event was rained out. (Delaware State News file photo by Dave Chambers)
Aside from the Dover activities this weekend, other area towns and cities are celebrating Independence Day.
•In the Smyrna-Clayton area on Saturday, the annual parade begins through Smyrna at 9:30 a.m. with formation beginning at Smyrna Elementary School at 7.
At the George C. Wright Municipal Park, a carnival gets underway at 10 a.m. with opening ceremonies at 11:45 a.m. at the bandstand.
At noon, a concert by Citizens’ Hose Company No. 1 Band will follow and then a dog contest at 12:30 p.m. with the parade awards presented at the bandstand at 1:30.
At dusk will be fireworks from Smyrna High School on Duck Creek Parkway.
•The city of Lewes will celebrate the Fourth of July Saturday with old-fashioned games for children on Second Street beginning at 9 a.m.
Following the games, the Lewes Independence Day Boat Parade will wind its way down the Lewes–Rehoboth Canal to Fisherman’s Wharf.
The parade entrants will leave from Roosevelt Inlet across from the Coast Guard Station at 1:30 p.m. and reach the judges’ reviewing stand at Fisherman’s Wharf at approximately 2 p.m.
Former Lewes Mayor Jim Ford is this year’s parade’s honorary grand marshal. All pre-registered boat entrants will be eligible for prizes.
At the conclusion of the parade, all boat entrants are invited to attend the Awards Ceremony on the deck of the Lightship Overfalls at 3:30 p.m.
For more information, call the Lewes Chamber of Commerce at (302) 645-8073.
•In Milton, festivities begin at 10 a.m. Saturday in Memorial Park.
Activities include a dunk tank, sack races, pie baking contest and games with a bike decorating contest and bike parade.
In addition, there will be music and entertainment throughout the day in the Gazebo, the Lions Club train will be running, food vendors will offer a variety of options, and there will be free ice cream.
•At dusk in Dewey Beach Saturday, fireworks will be set off from a barge in the bay and will be visible on the bayside.
•In Bethany Beach on Saturday, the parade starts at noon on Pennsylvania Avenue followed by a horseshoe throwing contest at 2 p.m., awards ceremony at 7:15, and The Vigilantes at 7:30 on the Bandstand. A fireworks display will be launched from Wellington Parkway at dusk.
For more information, visit www.townofbethanybeach.com.
•In Laurel Saturday, the Fourth of July celebration will begin with a prayer breakfast hosted by the Laurel Ministerial Association at Abbott’s on Broadcreek.
A parade will begin at 5 p.m. Following the parade, the Mayor’s Cornhole Contest will be held in Market Square Park. The band Chainbreak will be performing in the bandstand of Market Square Park.
A cornhole tournament, a clown, face painting and pie eating contest will also be held in Market Square Park. Food vendors will be set up along Central Avenue beginning at 4 p.m.
The day’s events will end with a fireworks display.
For more information, contact Jamie Smith, at Laurel Town Hall, 302-875-2277 or by email at laureltm@comcast.net.
•In Middletown Saturday, the sixth annual Fourth of July Parade, sponsored by the Middletown Jaycees, steps off at 10 a.m. at Everett Meredith Middle School on South Broad Street, travels up Broad to West Main Street, travels on Main Street to South Scott Street and disbands at its starting point. For more information about the parade, visit www.middletownjaycees.org.
Fireworks, at dark, will be displayed from Silver Lake Park, 200 E. Cochran St. The park opens at 6.
•On Sunday, Rehoboth Beach will hold its fireworks at approximately 9:15 p.m.
Fireworks will be launched from the beach in front of Star of the Sea, between Brooklyn Avenue and Laurel Street.
For more information, visit www.downtownrb.com.