Cape Cod 4th of July family events this weekend!

Fireworks, parades and family fun on the menu this holiday weekend

   4th of July fireworks as seen from the Hyannis Whale Watchers Cruise in 2006. See the video below. Photo and video by Jane Booth.

This year Independence Day falls on Saturday and fun events are schedule throughout the entire weekend starting with fireworks in Orleans Friday night.  The schedule of events is listed below by date and time.

Even though we hopefully will not need them, rain dates are listed where applicable.

See the bottom of this page for 4th of July parking related notices from local police.

And don't forget all the other fun stuff this weekend including band concerts and ball games to name just two!

Happy Birthday USA!

Friday, July 3rd, 2009

• Orleans 4th of July Fireworks, sunset, rain date Sunday, Jul 5th. Rock Harbor, Orleans.

Saturday, July 4th, 2009

• 46th Annual Pancake Festival, 7am-12pm. Sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Central Cape Cod. Chatham Elementary School, Chatham
• 4th of July Pancake Breakfast, 7:30am-10:30am. $6 adults, $5 kids. St. John’s Episcopal Church, 159 Main Street, Sandwich
• 4th of July Refreshment Stand, 8am until the end of the parade. Coffee, cold drinks, donuts. First Congregational Church, 650 Main Street, Chatham. 508-945-0800
• Wellfleet 4th of July Parade, 9am antique cars, parade at 10am. Town Pier to Town Center and Back. Wellfleet
• Chatham 4th of July Parade, 9:30am. Down Main Street from the corner of Shore Road to Veteran’s Field, Chatham
• Orleans 4th of July Parade, 10am. Steps off at Eldredge Parkway, off Route 28, Orleans
• Falmouth 4th of July Bike & Carriage Parade, 10am-1pm. Rain date 7/5. Main Street, Falmouth
• Spirit of Sandwich 4th of July Parade, 10am. Steps off at the HT Wing School, Route 130, Sandwich

Representatives of the Nauset Fish Market and Lobster Pool in the Orleans 4th of July Parade. John Fitts photo.

• Bourne on the 4th of July Parade, 10am. Starts at Main Street & Academy Drive in Bourne.
• Cotuit 4th of July Parade, 11am. Cotuit
• Provincetown 4th of July Parade, 11am. Steps of at Snail Road to Commercial Street, Provincetown
• Strawberry Festival, 11am, following the parade. Strawberry shortcake, hot dogs, sandwiches, beverages. First United Methodist Church, 16 Cross Street, Chatham. 508-945-0474
• Old-Fashioned 4th of July, 1pm-4pm. Sponsored by the Eastham Historical Society. Lawn of the 1869 Schoolhouse, off Route 6, Eastham
• Barnstable 4th of July Parade & Concert, 4pm.  Followed by a post parade concert from 5pm-6:30pm on Hyannis Village Green, Main St, Hyannis
• Red’s Chicken Barbecue, 4pm, dinner served at 5pm. Orleans-Eastham Elks Lodge, 10 McKoy Road, Eastham. 508-255-4258
• 4th of July Entertainment, 7pm-9pm, Aselton Park, South Street, Hyannis
• Provincetown 4th of July Fireworks, dusk, Provincetown Harbor, Provincetown
• Hyannis 4th of July Fireworks, dusk. Lewis Bay, Hyannis Harbor, Hyannis
• Falmouth 4th of July Fireworks, dusk. Falmouth Heights Beach, Falmouth
• Onset 4th of July Fireworks, 9pm. Over Onset Bay, Onset

Sunday, July 5th, 2009

Wellfleet Annual Road Race, adults 5 miles 8:30am; children 1.2 miles 10am. Mayo Beach, Wellfleet

Tuesday, July 14th, 2009

• Mashpee Community Picnic & Fireworks, 5pm. Fun for the whole family. Performance by the Toe Jam Puppet Band 6pm-7pm. Children’s games, the X-treme Cheer All-Stars, fireworks at dark. Bring your own picnic or purchase food there. Mashpee High School, Mashpee. This event was originally scheduled for July 1st and was postponed due to the weather.

Friday, July 17th, 2009

• Fireworks, 9pm. Celebrating Truro’s Tercentennial. Visible from most Wellfleet and Truro bay beaches. (Okay, it's not for the 4th of July, but they are fireworks!)

4th of July activity traffic notifications

CHATHAM - Traffic restrictions for 4th of July Parade

Starting at 3:00 a.m. on July 4, 2009, NO PARKING restrictions will go into effect.  The area affected is the Main Street Downtown Business District from the Rotary/Old Harbor Road to the intersection Main Street and Shore Road.  There will be NO PARKING on the Town Hall side of Main Street.  No chairs will be allowed on Main Street until AFTER 2:30 a.m.

Big truck, bold colors at the Chatham 4th of July Parade. Walter Brooks photo.

Beginning at 8:00 a.m. there will be a one-way (southbound) traffic pattern on Shore Road, from Old Harbor Road to Main Street.  This will remain in effect until the end of the parade proceeds onto Main Street.

The downtown business area will be closed to ALL motor vehicle traffic at 8:30 a.m.

The intersection of Route 28, Main Street and Crowell Road will be closed at 9:00 a.m., and ALL inbound traffic will be detoured onto Crowell Road and Queen Anne Road.

NO PARKING signs, traffic cones and barricades will be placed at various locations along the parade route and surrounding streets.  Uniformed police officers will be posted to assist with traffic.

We are asking for the public’s patience and cooperation during this annual 4th of July parade event.

The Chatham Police Department wishes everyone a happy and safe 4th of July.

Parking release courtesy of the Chatham Police Department.