Still on campus this summer? The Chronicle has you covered for the Fourth of July with a rundown of activities hosted around the Triangle in celebration of Independence Day.
Fireworks and parades
The Durham Bulls will be sharing their civic pride Thursday with a fireworks show at 9:15 p.m. after their 6:35 p.m. game against the Norfolk Tides.
Gates will open for general admission to the Durham Bulls Athletic Park after the seventh inning, pending available space to view the show. The City of Durham encourages those interested to purchase a ticket to the game to guarantee a seat within the park for optimal viewing of the fireworks.
Just outside of Durham, fireworks displays will also take place at Southern Community Park in Chapel Hill, Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary and Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh. The shows will begin at 9 p.m., 9:25 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., respectively, with parking available starting two to six hours prior. All three events are free to attend.
Durham’s longest continuously observed Independence Day festival, the 75th annual Watts Hospital-Hillandale Independence Day Parade, will take place just 1.5 miles from East Campus. The event will begin at 10 a.m. at Oval Drive Park and is free to attend.
The Children’s Independence Day Parade will begin at 10:30 a.m. at Durham Central Park. The free event offers opportunities for children and families to decorate their bikes, wagons and strollers with materials from The Scrap Exchange beginning an hour before the parade’s start.
Concerts and cookouts
For those seeking some Independence Day tunes or tasty eats, EnoFest has you covered. Running from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Saturday, the 45th annual Festival for the Eno will offer musical performances from over 60 artists on four stages and will also feature local artisans and an international food court.
Attendees can park at the Durham County Memorial Stadium and take an air-conditioned shuttle bus to West Point Park for the event. One-day and two-day adult ticket prices are $35 and $60, respectively, with $10 one-day passes and $15 two-day passes for children. Children ages four and under can attend for free. Proceeds support the Eno River Association, which hosts the festival each year and works to protect and restore local wildlife and natural areas.
The Koka Booth Amphitheatre's Independence Day Celebration boasts its own musical performance. The Cary Town Band will perform at 4:30 p.m., followed by the North Carolina Symphony at 7:30 p.m. Between the two shows will be a live parachuting demonstration by the United States Veterans Corps at Symphony Lake.
Those seeking some Fourth of July barbecue can get their fill at the Old Mill Farm’s Fourth on the Farm event from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday. The event features barbecue from the Original Q Shack, as well as live music and competitions for prizes, with ticket options starting at $12.
The Durham Hotel will also be serving a selection of Independence Day classics at its 4th of July Cookout on The Roof. The event, which will run from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., promises an assortment of cookout favorites from hot dogs to grilled corn on the cob, all available for purchase a la carte. Grilling will start at 5 p.m., with snacks available beforehand.
Other activities
For those seeking a more historical experience this Independence Day, community readings of Fourth of July works by celebrated writer and abolitionist Frederick Douglass will be held at both Durham’s Historic Stagville and the Carrboro Century Center beginning at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., respectively.
To some, the Fourth of July means beating summer heat and cooling down at a local pool. Although both Taishoff Aquatics Pavilion and Brodie Aquatics Center will be closed on Independence Day, the City of Durham’s outdoor Forest Hills Pool will be open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The daily admission fee for adults is $3 for city residents and $8 for non-city residents.
July 4 is also Free Fishing Day in North Carolina. Anyone in the state will be able to fish in public waters without a license Thursday. First authorized by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1994, the opportunity enables both new and frequent fishers to enjoy their Independence Day with time on the water. Fishers must still follow all other fishing limits and regulations.
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Ryan Kilgallen is a Trinity sophomore and an associate news editor for the news department.