SAXTONS RIVER-The Saxtons River Fourth of July celebration is scheduled to take place Friday, July 4, on Main Street in the village of Saxtons River.
"Families have loved spending the Fourth of July in Saxtons River for more than 75 years," the event's organizers observed in a news release.
There's still time to enter the parade, local bakers can make a pie for the pie contest, runners can run in the Firecracker 5K, and anyone can compete in the hula hoop contest or egg toss, play games, and eat great food at the street fair, or volunteer and lend a helping hand.
This year's parade theme is "Where Magic Happens!" Everyone is welcome to participate, and the best parade entry will receive a $500 prize. It will be led by Grand Marshal Troy Wunderle, a native of Vermont and a former international performer with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
The day starts with the Firecracker 5K run, followed by the parade, firefighter's water polo, cotton candy, a dunk booth, hula hoop contest, egg toss, bounce house, and other kid's games, and great food.
Live music features local favorites The Gaslight Tinkers and Ezra Holloway.
The celebration ends with pickup softball games at the Rec Center.
Local artists Anna Clark and Marcy Cruthirds have teamed up to create this year's design for commemorative t-shirts, which go on sale at the Saxtons River Village Market on Saturday, June 28, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The shirts will also be available at the street fair on July 4, while supplies last. The $25 cost helps cover expenses associated with the event.
With a goal of keeping textiles out of landfill, Clark and Cruthirds will again silkscreen a one-color version of the T-shirt design on items like t-shirts, tote bags, pillowcases, and scarves for a suggested donation of $10, which also offsets the cost of the celebration.
Textiles can be dropped off at the Saxtons River Village Market (25 Main St.) on Saturday, June 28 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and then picked up at the July 4 festivities at the SR4 T-shirt booth.
This year, the pie contest "will be a little different in that the panel of judges will be tasting pies and selecting the winners the evening of Thursday, July 3," the organizers write.
Winners will be announced following the parade. Also new for this year: a Young Baker Award will honor the best pie from a baker under 18 years old.
Learn more at SRVTfourth.org.
This Town and Village item was submitted to The Commons.