Fourth of July celebrations returning after COVID derailed festivities last year

After more than a year of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic the Lakes Region is ready to welcome the return of Fourth of July celebrations with a bang.

Several communities, including Laconia, will have parades on Saturday or Sunday. And gatherings will once again be held in parks and town commons, complete with food and entertainment.

Many communities will be lighting up the sky with fireworks displays, starting tonight in Wolfeboro.

About 20 entries — groups and individuals — are expected to participate in Laconia’s parade which will kick off at 4:30 p.m. Sunday at Laconia High School. Scout groups, members of fraternal and civic organizations like the Rotary Club and the Knights of Columbus, antique cars and trucks, fire engines, children on decorated bikes, and members of the Blacktop Saints charity motorcycle riding club will move down Union Avenue and then along Church Street to Veterans Square, and then up North Main Street to Opechee Park.

“We’ve had a good response,” said City Councilor Tony Felch, the parade organizer. “It’s not huge. It’s more of a family thing, which is what I was hoping for.”

Lakes Region Public Access will be covering the parade and local radio personality Pat Kelly will serve as master of ceremonies.

The parade will end at the park where there will be food, live music, and fun activities until 10 p.m. when the fireworks show will start.

Bow Junction, a blues group, will play from 5:30 to 7 p.m. From 8 until 10 p.m. the entertainment will be provided by the Baha Boys, whose style is a cross between the Beach Boys and Jimmy Buffett, according to Parks and Recreation Director Amy Lovisek.

There will also be food and merchandise vendors as well as a climbing wall.

Other parades are scheduled to take place in Gilmanton, Wolfeboro, Ashland, and Bristol.

Gilmanton’s half-mile-long parade gets underway at 10 a.m., starting at High Street and ending at the Town Common in front of the Academy Building where there will be festivities and a chance to enjoy homemade strawberry shortcake.

Parades

Saturday

— Ashland, 10 a.m., fire station to ball field. Followed by food truck festival, vertical entertainment, and concert in the park at the ballfield.

— Bristol, 1:30 p.m., boat parade, foot of Newfound Lake.

Sunday

— Gilmanton, 10 a.m., High Street to Town Common. Vendors and food on the Common.

— Bristol, 11 a.m. Theme: Bristol rocks!

— Wolfeboro, 1 p.m., from Kingswood High School to downtown and back. Rain date, Monday.

— Weirs Beach, 1-4 p.m., boat parade.

— Laconia, 4:30 p.m., from Laconia High School to Opechee Park.

Fireworks

Friday

— Wolfeboro, 9:30 p.m., launched from a barge floating in Wolfeboro Bay.

Saturday

— Ashland, at dusk, Ashland Ball Field. Rain date, Monday.

— Bristol, at dusk, over Newfound Lake. Rain date, Sunday.

— Sandwich, at dusk, Fairgrounds.

— Canterbury, 9 p.m., Canterbury Elementary School.

— Weirs Beach, 11:59 p.m., over Weirs Beach.

Sunday

— Center Harbor, 9:15 p.m., over Center Harbor Bay.

— Meredith, 9:30 p.m., over Meredith Bay.

— Laconia, 10 p.m., Opechee Park.

Other Events

Wright Museum in Wolfeboro, Sunday, free admission, noon to 4 p.m. Small gifts for young people, flags, a patriotic scavenger hunt, showing patriotic films in the Education Center.

Annual craft fair, Gunstock Mountain Resort in Gilford, Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.