Where to celebrate Fourth of July in Danbury area
After a quieter celebration last summer, the Danbury area is planning a slightly bigger birthday party for America this year.
Several traditional firework displays and local events are returning to towns for Fourth of July, thanks to Gov. Ned Lamont’s lifted restrictions, low rates of viral spread and high rates of vaccination among Connecticut residents.
The holiday falls on a Sunday this year, but celebrations will span the whole weekend and into the following week.
However, for the second year in a row, there will be no firework shows in Danbury, with the display over Candlewood Lake canceled and the one at the Danbury Fair mall postponed.
The Danbury Volunteer Firemen’s Council typically books the firework company in February, but the volunteers decided not to do so because they were unsure of what COVID-19 conditions would be like, Mayor Joe Cavo said. He could have predicted whether it would rain the night of the show as well as he could have predicted case levels, he said.
“Back in February, there was still a tremendous amount of unknowns,” he said. “We were still early in vaccinations.”
The fireworks companies have been booked elsewhere.
“You wouldn’t be able to get them now if you wanted to,” Cavo said.
While things aren’t completely back to “business-as-usual” yet, here are a few Fourth of July celebrations in the Danbury area in the coming days:
Bethel
The John Demille Firecracker 8K, the town’s oldest road race, returns for a 55th year next week.
The event will take place July 5, starting at 8 a.m. outside the Clifford J. Hurgin Municipal Center, 1 School St.
From there, participants will make their way up Wooster Street, onto Juniper Road and back onto Wooster Street before turning left onto Durant Avenue.
Continuing onto Library Place, racers will proceed down Greenwood Avenue, turn right onto Chestnut Ridge and continue to Nashville Road before heading down South Street, Grassy Plain Street and Greenwood Avenue and turning onto Library Place.
The last stretch will be a loop back around Durant, Wooster and Juniper to finish at the municipal center.
Awards will be given to the first three female and male runners to complete the race, as well as awards for the top three female and male participants in eight age-based categories.
The registration deadline is June 28, with a $25 entry fee per racer. All proceeds will go to benefit the Scotty Fund and Ben’s Bells organizations.
Information on the John Demille Firecracker 8K, including a course map, can be found here.
Lake Waramaug
The fireworks display is also back on at Lake Waramaug, sponsored by the lake association through their firework fund.
On Sunday, July 4, fireworks will begin at 9:30 p.m., but a Rim-the-Lake flare lighting will start at 9 p.m., and the association has encouraged people to participate in this event, in addition to the fireworks themselves.
Flares will be distributed to visitors for free, but donations are accepted to help cover the cost of the community event.
The association has set a rain date has been set for Sept. 4.
New Fairfield
New Fairfield’s Fourth of July Parade is back in action after being canceled in 2020. A ceremony at Memorial Field will occur at the conclusion of the parade.
In 2020, the town hosted a car parade in lieu of an in-person event to ensure adequate social distancing.
The annual parade, which is sponsored by the New Fairfield Lions Club, is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m.
The route will be the same as in past years, starting on Route 37 in front of the Senior Center parking lot on Overbrook Drive before proceeding on Route 39, past the Town Hall and concluding at Memorial Field for the ceremony.
According to the Lions Club, over 40 groups will be participating in the parade this year.
New Milford
The state’s largest town by landmass decided the show must go on and is holding a Fourth of July celebration and firework show on Saturday, July 3, organized by the Chamber of Commerce.
The firework display will also be sponsored in part by New Milford Hospital, which is celebrating its 100th birthday this year.
Mayor Pete Bass Hearst Connecticut Media in April that the town would hold its Independence Day fireworks and annual Memorial Day parade. Both had been canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns. Instead of fireworks, the Water Witch Hose Company held a small parade through parts of the town.
Festivities are set to begin at 5 p.m. with the second day of the Lions Club Carnival at Young’s Field, which runs until 10 p.m. on Saturday. The carnival starts on at 6 p.m. Friday.
At 6:30 p.m., events will begin on the Town Green with the singing of the National Anthem, followed by live music at 7 p.m. As soon as it gets dark enough, the firework show will commence.
State Rep. Bill Buckbee, R-New Milford, is expected to be in attendance, alongside the mayor.
A rain date has been set for Saturday, Nov. 27, at the annual Tree Lighting ceremony.
Ridgefield
A family fireworks celebration sponsored by Fairfield County Bank will take place on Monday, July 5 at the high school.
Gates will open at 6 p.m. with fireworks beginning at dusk.
A $20 parking pass will be required for parking at the high school, Scott’s Ridge Middle, and Barlow Mountain and Scotland elementary schools, with proceeds going to the Family Fourth Committee. The passes can be purchased through the town’s website, at the bank or at town hall.
If it rains, the celebration will take place the following day, on July 6.