Margaretville Fire Department’s annual Fourth of July Field Days kick off a busy week of carnivals, parades and fireworks leading up to and beyond the July Fourth holiday Friday.
Margaretville’s field days begin Thursday, July 1, and run until Saturday, July 5. There will be fireworks Friday and Saturday nights.
According to the online schedule, carnival rides open at 6 p.m. July 1, 2, and 3, and at 1 p.m. July 4 and 5. It is $25 for pay one price rides from 6 to 10 p.m. July 1, 2, and 3; $30 for pay one price rides from 1 to 11 p.m. July 4 and 5.
The annual car show will start at 6 p.m. Thursday.
Friday’s schedule is: from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. WRIP Radio broadcast from the fairgrounds; noon the fire department’s chicken barbecue; from 6 to 10 p.m. local cidery and beer tent with Rockland Cider Works and Calico Outlaw Brewery; from 7-10 p.m. 90 Proof will perform and 9:30 p.m. fireworks.
Saturday’s schedule is: noon chicken barbecue; 6 to 10 p.m., local beer tastings with Catskill Brewery and Catskill Tap & Ladder Co.; from 7 to 10 p.m., Jaketown Road will perform; 9:30 p.m. fireworks. Drawing for the George Hendricks Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund benefit raffle will take place after the fireworks Saturday night.
Admission to the fairgrounds, in the Margaretville Village Park behind Freshtown supermarket, is free, but there will be a free will donation box on fireworks nights to help cover the cost.
Other festivals, special events and fireworks will be held throughout the region in honor of Independence Day.
July 4
The National Baseball Hall of Fame at 25 Main St. in Cooperstown will celebrate Independence Day and Hall of Fame member Lou Gehrig, who gave his farewell speech on July 4, 1939. The day will include a plaque gallery tour at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.; all star art at 10:45 a.m.; Cooperstown curiosity cart at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.; a guided tour about Gehrig at 11:30 a.m., an open hour in the hall’s discovery zone at 1 p.m. and “Baseball Jeopardy” at 3 p.m.
Springfield’s July Fourth parade will begin at 11 a.m. Friday. The theme of this year’s parade is “We the People.” Jerome and Regina Oakes are this year’s grand marshals. The parade will end at the Springfield Community Center, where a celebration will be held, featuring music by the Camden Continentals Fife and Drum Corps and the Cooperstown Community Band; Brooks’ barbecued chicken; homemade pie; the Springfield Historical Society Open House; children’s games, raffles and other attractions. Free parade parking is available at the community center at 129 County Road 29A in Springfield Center.
An evening concert and fireworks display will take place at Glimmerglass State Park, with music by local rock band Scattered Flurries starting at 7:30 p.m. on July 4, to be followed by fireworks at dusk. Donations will be collected at the park entrance at 1527 County Highway 31.
Hometown Fourth of July parade at 1 p.m. down Main Street, Oneonta. Followed by family-friendly games and activities, bounce houses, food trucks, craft vendors and live music at Neahwa Park and fireworks at dusk.
The Catskill Conservatory will present A Quiet Concert for the Fourth, the 28th annual Independence Day musical gathering and potluck supper at historic Windfall Dutch Barn in Salt Springville, at 4 p.m. Friday, July 4. Performing will be Carleton Clay, Rich Mollin amd Steve Gorn. For more information, call 607-263-5230. The GPS location is 2009 Clinton Road in Fort Plain.
July 4 and 5
East Branch Firemen’s Field Days held at Humble Park along O & W Road in East Branch. Hours for the festival are noon to 11 p.m. both days. There will be fireworks both nights, a softball tournament, all kinds of food for sale, bounce houses, games, face painting and vendors. There will be live music by Dirt Road Express Friday night and Jason Wicks Saturday night and DJ John Ackley will spin music during the day Saturday. There will be a fire department parade at 6 p.m. Saturday and vendors.
July 5
The Canadarago Lake Recreation Committee will have a fireworks display over the lake at dark.
The village of Cooperstown’s Lakefront Concert & Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration will be held Saturday, July 5, with two bands performing before the fireworks at dusk. At 6 p.m., the Cooperstown Community Band opens the night of music with their concert band classics featuring patriotic songs for the Fourth of July holiday. Then, at 7:30 p.m., local band Steel Rail performs covers of classic rock and classic country songs spanning the decades. Food trucks and face painting open at 5:30 p.m. offering food and fun for the whole family all evening. Fireworks will be launched at dusk from Fairy Spring Park.
The Davenport, East Meredith and Pindars Corners fire departments will have fireworks at dusk at Gersters Trucking along state Route 23 in Davenport. There will be a chicken barbecue at the Davenport Firehouse at 15838 State Route 23 beginning at 11 a.m.
July 11
Delhi will have fireworks Friday night at dusk as part of its Fair on the Square celebration.