SAXTONS RIVER — With the theme of “Celebrating 100 Years of Women's Suffrage,” Saxtons River will kick off its annual Independence Day celebration Thursday, July 4, with a 5K Firecracker road race at 8:30 a.m., followed by a parade at 9:30 a.m.
Grand marshals for the parade are Women in Government, featuring Susan Hammond, Ann DiBernardo, Carolyn Partridge, and some future voters.
In addition to the race and the parade, the day's activities include a street fair highlighted by the firefighters' water polo, a hula hoop contest, and music on the bandstand.
Miniature golf, an egg toss, a pie contest, face painting, and food vendors are also on the schedule. Returning this year is the World-Famous Musical Chairs contest.
Afternoon activities move to the Saxtons River Rec Area and include swimming and picnicking, with music for dancing with the Bayou X Cajun/Creole band led by Pete Simoneaux, all topped off with fireworks at dusk.
There will also be cotton candy and Glo-stix on sale as well as hot dogs and hamburgers grilled by the Fourth committee.
This year's T-shirt design by Eric Aho features a splash of fireworks over a darkened rec area, with a special tribute to Vincenzo Ruggiero, who recently lost his life in a car accident. T-shirts will be on sale in front of the Village Market Saturday, June 29, and on the Fourth.
Posters of Aho's design in two sizes are for sale through Sarah Campbell at the Saxtons River Inn, with a promise from Aho to autograph them for an extra fee. Proceeds will go to the expenses of the Fourth celebration.
The day's schedule: 7:30 a.m., race registration; 8:30 a.m., 5K Firecracker road race; 9 a.m., kids' bike decorating and parade line up at Vermont Academy; 9:30 a.m. parade; 10 a.m., street fair, games, music on the bandstand, firefighters' water polo; 6:30 p.m., music for dancing; 9:30 p.m., fireworks.