BELHAVEN — The Town of Belhaven is gearing up for the 74^th consecutive Independence Day Celebration, starting July 1 and running through July 4.

The Celebrations Committee is heading up the planning process this year, and residents can expect to see many of the familiar favorites: vendors lined along Main Street; Saturday’s Street Dance; the Young Miss, Little Miss and Miss Independence Scholarship Pageants; and Monday’s fireworks to round out the celebration.

The featured events span the town, from the Municipal Building to the Wilkinson Center and the Belhaven Civic Center. The 33^rd annual Pantego Mud Run fundraiser, sponsored by the Pantego Volunteer Fire Department, is also slated for Monday.

Paul Wood, one of the members of the Celebrations Committee, said planning for the event is a months-long process, and the committee has been involved with it for about a decade.

“It is a lot of work,” Wood said. “It’s just a wild time around here for three days.”

One of the largest attractions of the event is the Fourth of July parade, which Wood said is usually about a mile long and lasts for an hour.

From patriotic floats to a stream of fire trucks, and perhaps a glimpse of Uncle Sam, the parade is meant to be family friendly and all-around homegrown fun.

For Wood, a lifelong resident of Belhaven, the celebration as a whole is a part of the town and its residents.

“We’re glad to see it come, and we’re glad to see it go,” Wood laughed. “We get excited.”

 

EVENTS SCHEDULE

July 1

5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.         

Bouncy house and games

7 p.m.   

Pie judging contest

8-9 p.m.      

Veteran green light ceremony

 

July 2

Noon-until                      

Vendors along Main Street
Bouncy house and games

2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Music by Raining Mercy

3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.               

Music by Les and Dave Band

5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.               

Young Miss Independence and Miss Independence

6 p.m.-until                   

Dunking booth

6 p.m.     

Hotdog eating contest

6-9 p.m.         

Twilight Hour

8-11 p.m.        

Street Dance on Main Street

 

July 3

1 p.m.-until 

Vendors along Main Street
Bouncy house and games

2-5 p.m.          

Local singing talent

 

July 4

8:30 a.m.                

Parade lineup (Railroad Street)

9 a.m.-until         

Vendors along Main Street

9 a.m.

Little Miss Independence

10 a.m.-until        

Bouncy house and games

10 a.m.                                

Lawn mower pull
Dignitary breakfast

11 a.m.  

Parade (Main Street)
Helicopter rides

12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.             

Music by Raining Mercy

1 p.m.              

Pantego Mud Run

2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.     

Music by Don Cox

3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.               

Music by Easy Breeze

5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Music by Tight End

9 p.m.                      

Fireworks (Cooperage Mill Dock)