Fourth of July weekend hosts array of activities in southern ADKs

LAKE GEORGE | Fireworks, festivals, and family fun will prevail this weekend across the southern Adirondacks as communities celebrate the nation's founding and other summer festivals are held. Most prominent is the annual Fourth of July fireworks display in Lake George Village, an event that annually attracts more than 20,000 spectators. The fireworks begin at about 9:15 p.m. Friday, July 4, but activities start earlier with the reading of the Declaration of Independence by Revolutionary War re-enactors at 1 p.m. at the historic Fort William Henry. This same speech will be held on Sunday, July 5 and Monday, July 6. Preceding the July 4 fireworks will be two concerts in Shepard Park, featuring two rock bands: "A Blast' beginning at 6 p.m. followed by "The Refrigerators" at 7:30 p.m. Shepard Park's Fridays at the Lake concerts are kid- and pet-friendly, featuring children's activities including a bounce house, a face painter, and an airbrush artist. Other major area events include the Independence Day celebration Sunday, July 6 in North Creek, Minerva Day festival on Saturday, July 5, and the Fourth of July festival in Schroon Lake on Friday, July 4. Bolton Landing and Hague also have Independence Day celebrations — the latter is held on Thursday, July 3. NORTH CREEK CELEBRATES ON JULY 6 The Independence Day celebration in North Creek is to be held Sunday, July 6, and begins at 2 p.m. with a parade down Main Street from the North Creek Firehouse to the Ski Bowl Park. Family-friendly activities feature various games including cornhole, a bounce house, a dunking booth, raffles, and local artisans' craft fair and a beverage sampling booth. Also, the event will host live music, food, and games of chance sponsored by the North Creek Fire Company. A children's craft session is to be held from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Tannery Pond Community Center, and from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m., free pony rides and face painting will be available. Live music performances scheduled include performances by singer-songwriter Sara Pierson and musician Tom Volcheck, as well as a rock band holding an "after party" in the park's pavilion from 9:45 to 11:30 p.m. A magician will be strolling through the park in the afternoon, then he will be onstage at 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. A wide array of food and beverages will be available most of the day and evening, served up by various food trucks and vendors. Pie-eating and pie-throwing contests and sack races will be held at various times in the afternoon and evening. Also, exhibits of reptiles and turtles are to be held on-site. For specific event times, see: https://visitnorthcreek.org. The festival features an extensive aerial display of fireworks at about 9:30 p.m. While in North Creek, go to the Tannery Pond Center and see the art exhibit featuring Andy Mitchell's paintings, primarily abstractions with bold colors, geometric forms, and street scenes. The exhibit continues through July 31. SCHROON LAKE: FULL DAY OF FUN The day-long Fourth of July celebration in Schroon Lake on Friday, July 4 features family fun, food and entertainment at Schroon Lake Town Park from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. with a climbing wall, bounce houses, clowns, and concessions; live music from noon to 2 p.m., live entertainment on Main Street from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., when the parade down Main Street is to start. The procession includes a brass band and a fife and drum corps. The annual chicken barbecue served up by the Schroon Lake Community Church is available from 10:30 a.m. until the food is sold out. New this year is an Elvis Presley tribute show from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. featuring James Cawley and his show band on the Dock Street stage. Following is a half-hour patriotic vocal performance, and a fireworks display is set for about 9:15 p.m. at the Schroon Lake Town Beach. These festivities are preceded by the Adirondack Artisans & Crafts Market from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 3 on Dock Street. Also, a concert of Irish music performed by McKrell, Orsini & Greene is scheduled for 7 p.m. July 3 at the Lodge at Schroon Lake. BOLTON'S FEST: MUSIC, MAGIC, FIREWORKS The Bolton July 4th celebration features music performed by singer/songwriter Mark Rabin from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Rogers Park. Music will continue at 2 p.m. with deejay Andy Pratt, and a magician will be entertaining the audience on the park's hillside from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. when his 45-minute onstage performance begins. The day concludes with a fireworks show at about 9:30 p.m. The Bolton Historical Museum in downtown Bolton Landing is hosting an exhibit of photographs, memorabilia and artifacts that portray vacationing in Lake George during the 1950s and 1960s. MINERVA'S HOMESTYLE HOLIDAY To experience a holiday with a rural vibe, attend Minerva Day, to be held Saturday, July 5. A children's fishing derby is to be held on Minerva Lake's Donnelly Beach from 10 a.m. until noon. A patriotic hometown parade begins at 5 p.m. at Sporty's Iron Duke Tavern on Route 9N in Minerva and ends at Donnelly Beach. All day long, Minerva area residents will be holding yard sales. Minerva Day events include an art and photography show from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Minerva Community Center at 1652 State Route 28. In addition, the Minerva Historical Museum at 1386 County Road 29 in Olmstedville will be open from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., featuring the exhibit: Minerva's schools: a Century of Memories," and a Citizen of the Year Award will be presented. The day ends with The Gregson Brothers Band playing rock music from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Donnelly Beach Park, accompanied by carnival games; food will be available. Fireworks at about 9i15 p.m. will conclude the annual festival. Additional details, including the garage sale sites throughout town, can be found at: townofminerva.com. HAGUE CELEBRATES ONE DAY EARLY The Town of Hague is celebrating the nation's founding in their "Third of July" event on Thursday, July 3. The celebration begins at 3 p.m. at the Hague Town Beach, where food will be available and live music by the Barkeater Band begins at 6:30 p.m. A fireworks display is to start at 9:25 p.m. CHESTERTOWN'S FRUIT FEST In Chestertown, the Community United Methodist Church will be holding its annual Strawberry Festival from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, July 5. During this flavorsome festival, strawberry shortcakes, pies, sundaes, and milkshakes will be available, alongside lunch, which includes chili. A sale of other items, including books, jewelry, toys, and other collectibles, is to be held on-site at 11 Church St.. Meanwhile, in the Chester Municipal Center, the Town of Chester Library will be holding an exhibit of photographs by Laura Seldman. Entitled "Chasing History with a Camera," the exhibit showcases the culture and natural beauty of the Adirondacks — celebrated landscapes as well as country roads, little towns, and remote waterways. An artist's reception is set for 3 p.m. July 11. SYMPHONY PERFORMS IN CRANDALL PARK Hundreds of people are expected to attend the Glens Falls Symphony's annual Summer Pops Concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 3 in Glens Falls' Crandall Park on Glen Street. Annually, dozens of people enjoy picnics as they listen to the symphony's music emanating from the park's bandshell. The event features a salute to veterans and service personnel who are to stand with their family members when their branch of service's anthem is played by the orchestra. The event features children's activities and an antique car show beginning mid-afternoon, and concludes with fireworks at dusk. Food and beverages will be available from vendors.

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Fourth of July weekend hosts array of activities in southern ADKs

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