Fireworks, barbecues, road races, and lobster rolls are on the agenda and parades are planned at both ends of the Island. Storefront mannequins are dressed in their Independence Day best, and several flower beds have adopted a patriotic color scheme. Banners and bunting have been hung and flags are waving as the Vineyard welcomes one of the busiest days of the year.
Following long tradition, the Edgartown parade will step off promptly at 5 p.m, followed by fireworks at dusk over the harbor. Smaller parades are planned for earlier in the day in Aquinnah and at the Camp Ground in Oak Bluffs.
The National Weather Service forecasts rain late Saturday.
While the sunny part of the day may be spent on the beach, all eyes will turn to Edgartown late Saturday for the annual parade. Traffic is expected to start at 3 p.m.; the parade route will be closed to traffic at 4:15 p.m. and parking bans will begin at 3 p.m. Main street will reopen after the parade but North Water street and adjacent roads will remain closed until after fireworks.
The parade will travel from the Edgartown School to Pease’s Point Way, circle toward the Harbor View Hotel, and march down North Water street to Main street. It will then turn onto Main for the home stretch, where instead of the reviewing stand, this year the parade will pause before the courthouse and play all five of the anthems for the branches of service.
Navigating among the patriotic floats will be a pirate ship, a train and any number of smaller gatherings. Currently there are 15 floats registered, but the final count will not be known until 3 p.m. on Saturday, as walk-in floats decorated in the spirit of the day are considered on a case by case basis.
While anywhere along the route is a great place to watch, for those marching the final turn onto Main street promises to be quite a sight, said Joseph E. Sollitto, parade grand marshal and clerk of the Dukes County Superior Court. Mr. Sollitto has been involved with the parade since 1972 and said little has changed.
“It’s classic Americana, that’s what draws people to it.”
For those wandering the town in the afternoon, St. Elizabeth’s Church on Main street will be selling lobster rolls starting at noon. And in between the parade and fireworks, the Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust will host its annual barbecue, serving up burgers and hot dogs on the lawn of the Dr. Daniel Fisher house on Main street.
To keep the day fun and safe, the fire department reminds people to stay hydrated, remain aware of everything around them and if they see something suspicious, to say something.
As darkness falls, crowds will look toward the lighthouse for the fireworks display, which will begin around 9 p.m. Viewers will gather along the harbor and shoreline, North Water street and the Dock street area. Parking is available at the lot on Dark Woods Road with trolley service to center of town. Handicapped parking is available in the Yacht Club lot at the foot of Main street.
Trolley and taxi parking is on North Water street just off Main street beginning at 7 p.m. and lasting until the end of the firework show.
Because of road closures, the VTA buses in downtown Edgartown will have disrupted service. Routes 1 and 13 will go to the top of Memorial Park. Route 6 will go to Edgartown Hardware and route 8 to South Beach will pick up at High street. There will be no service on route 11 during the parade.
According to the Steamship Authority, all automobile reservations are fully booked to the Island until late Saturday. For those arriving or departing by sky, the airport encourages people to arrive early for flights as there will be concentrated business for arrivals on Thursday and Friday, and departures on Sunday. They also advise to be cognizant of possible delays caused by weather.
Two other parades will take place for the holiday. The 12th annual Aquinnah children’s parade will kick off with coffee, doughnuts and face painting at 10 a.m. at the top of Old South Road. At 11 a.m. the parade begins as floats travel around the circle and then back to Philbin Beach, where a children’s treasure hunt takes place. This year’s grand marshal is Len Butler, the chairman of the committee for the relocation of the Gay Head Lighthouse.
The Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association will host their annual children’s parade at 10 a.m. on West Clinton avenue in Oak Bluffs. Children participate by decorating bikes, scooters and carriages and circling to the Cottage Museum.
For those who want to move a bit faster than a parade allows, the annual Murdick’s Fudge Run the Chop Challenge kicks off from the Tisbury School Saturday morning. There will be an 8:30 a.m. fun run for kids under 12 and a 9 a.m. classic 5-mile run. Registration is open until the 8:45 a.m. the day of the race.
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