Music will play loudly, spirits with flow, people of all ages will dance and play games and fireworks will light up the night sky as two county municipalities prepare for their respective Independence Day celebrations.

Both the City of Washington and the Town of Belhaven will host Fourth of July events this weekend.

In Washington, the Saturday celebrations will kick off with Washington Harbor District Alliance’s Saturday Market, while Can U Toss, a regional cornhole league will open registration for the annual cornhole tournament at 9 a.m. in the Washington-Beaufort Chamber of Commerce parking lot, according to WHDA Director Beth Byrd. The tournament will be double elimination and each contestant requires a $15 entry fee.

From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Turnage Theater, the Beaufort County Traditional Music Association will host an open jam, and the North Carolina Estuarium will host its regular tours. However, no river roving will be offered, Byrd said.

A children’s fun zone, sponsored by Zaxby’s, will be available from noon to 5 p.m., featuring bouncy houses, an 18-foot slide and other games provided by local business Bounce Up N Party.

At 6 p.m., attendee will have the chance to dance and sing along to the tunes of Jupiter Jones, voted best band in Greenville a couple of years ago, Byrd said.

“The reason I was so excited to get them is they do such a wide range of genres — country, beach music, rock,” Byrd said. “There will be something that everybody is going to like. It’s the first time we’ve had them out.”

Following the band’s performance, attendees will then congregate on the Washington waterfront for a fireworks display, a tradition started years ago through a partnership between the City of Washington and Lee Chevrolet.

Byrd said the city hopes residents and those from the surrounding area will join in the festivities.

“Without (Lee Chevrolet) contributing and the city’s willingness to put on the event, I don’t know if we would be able to do something like this,” Byrd said. “It’s something special that they would do this for the community. We’re just hoping that everyone comes down. It’s going to be a family event, so come on out and have some fun. We’d love to see everyone down (at the waterfront). I think that’s the best view of fireworks when there is water reflecting it. It’s going to be really special, I think.”

Belhaven will kick off its festivities Friday night with vendors, a hot-dog eating contest, a dunking booth and pageants for two age groups of local girls — Miss Independence (ages 15-18) and Young Miss Independence (ages 12-14) — a tradition that has occurred for 73 consecutive years, according to Diana Lambeth, director of the Belhaven Chamber of Commerce.

Also on Friday night, the Chamber will host Twilight Hour on Pamlico Street, an event featuring an array of local artists, vendors and musicians, as well as the sale of beverages at the Wilkinson Center. The Eli Craig Band will set the stage for a street dance, at which people of all ages are encouraged to come and dance and have a good time, Lambeth said.

“It’s just a time for neighbors to get together and mingle with each other,” Lambeth said.

On Saturday, Belhaven will host the second installment of its historic pageants with the Little Miss Independence Pageant for ages 4-6. Throughout the day, an array of activities will be available, including helicopter rides, pie-baking and pie-eating contests, bouncy houses and the annual Belhaven Independence Day Parade, a tradition that draws attendees from all parts of the state and even some out-of-state guests, according to Lambeth. Any person or group is permitted to join in the parade that will follow Main Street.

The day will continue with music by local acts like the Coltrains, Don Cox, the Believers Trio and K-OS, as well as a lawnmower pull and the Pantego Volunteer Fire Department Mud Run, Lambeth said.

Following the long lineup of festivities, the Town of Belhaven will present its annual fireworks display.

“We hope that everybody will bring their families and friends and just enjoy a fun day of old time America and fellowship and that everybody just has a great time,” Lambeth said. “Something will be going on for everybody — children of all ages.”