NORTHEAST KINGDOM – Across the region there will be an assortment of Independence Day celebrations for residents and families to take part in this upcoming weekend, with parades in Greensboro and Cabot.
photo by Dave Kelley
In Greensboro, the traditional Funky Fourth will take place Saturday, July 4, with the annual Independence Day Parade opening festivities at 10 a.m., starting on Country Club Road and continuing down through Breezy Avenue to the town hall building.
Following the parade, at noon on the town hall green there will be a free community picnic featuring sandwiches, hot dogs and ice cream. Music will be provided by the Sky Blue Boys, also known as Banjo Dan and his brother Willy. At the same time, there will be a silent auction with home-baked desserts. All proceeds from the auction will go to support the local food pantry.
There will be a dunk tank on the town green as well, in which families and friends can throw a baseball and dunk local celebrities and politicians, as well as special pitching lessons provided by former Boston Red Sox’s pitcher Bill “Spaceman” Lee. The event’s announcement indicates those refusing to be dunked may be subject to a fine.
Evening activities will take place at the Highland Center for the Arts, where outdoor games will take place beginning at 5:30 p.m., followed by a special performance, at 6:30 p.m., by the Vermont Philharmonic Orchestra for a 250th Independence Day concert. Admission is free and open to the public. Picnic dinners can be purchased for a fee at the Highland Center that evening.
The Greensboro United Church of Christ is sponsoring a children’s discovery trail scavenger hunt. Participants must have completed at least two challenges to be eligible for a treasure chest prize.
The annual Craftsbury community block party will take place Friday, July 3, from 4 p.m. to dark, with live music, juggling, food and fireworks.
In Cabot, the community softball classic will take place, Friday, July 3, at 4 p.m., with two coed teams facing off on the recreation field. A sign-up sheet is at the Cabot Village Store.
On Saturday, the annual parade will begin at 11 a.m., with South Walden Road closing at 9:30 a.m., to allow for parade lineup. Southbound traffic will be detoured to Houston Hill Road. Main Street will close at 10:45 a.m., fifteen minutes before the parade.
A rummage sale opens at 8 a.m. in the Cabot School Gym. There will be a used book sale, food vendors, family activities, historical society exhibits, music and more.
Visit CabotVermont.org for information or to volunteer. Register parade entries in advance to be considered for prizes up to $1,500.
Primary event parking is in the Elm Street field near the town cemetery. There is a free shuttle bus to town from the parking lot. No parking is permitted on Elm Street to allow the flow of traffic. In the village, parking is strictly limited to designated spaces on Main Street, at the Willey Building, and at the old fire station. Short-term parking is available at the Cabot School gym lot for the rummage sale. Handicap and elder parking is available at the church parking lot (Common Road) and at the Cabot School gym lot.
Street parking will be limited to designated areas on Danville Hill Road (lane coming into town only, above the fire hydrant), Whittier Hill Road (lane heading out of town only past Cabot Commons), Vt. 215N (heading into town only), and Vt. 215S (heading into town only below Cabot Creamery). There is no parking or blocking of access to the Cabot Creamery, or any intersections in town. There is no parking on Elm Street, South Walden Road, or Glinka Road. Parking near the recreation field and fire station is reserved for parade participants only.
Raymonda Parchment is a Hardwick Gazette reporter. She recently graduated from Vermont State University - Castleton with a Bachelor’s Degree in English. She is a strong supporter of freedom of speech, and the right to publish information, opinions, and ideas without censorship or restraint. She is a lifelong lover of the written word, and is excited to join the team as a staff member.
