SAXTONS RIVER-The village's annual Fourth of July celebration, centered on Main Street, is a tradition that has been going strong for more than seven decades.
The day begins with the pie baking contest, to which bakers can submit entries in one or more of three categories: sweet, savory, and gluten-free. Pies are to be dropped off at Main Street Arts at 8:30 a.m.
Pie will be sold after the judging, with prizes awarded at noon.
The Firecracker 5K Road Race starts at 8:30 a.m. Runners can register at stillmiling.com/saxtons-river-firecracker-5k.
A parade follows at 11 a.m., led by Grand Marshalls Thad and Jan Guild. Everyone is invited to participate in the parade, and organizers says they want to encourage creativity and enthusiasm.
This year's theme is "Parade through Paradise," and the best parade entry wins $500. To learn more, visit srvtfourth.org, or join one of the participating groups.
For example, the Bellows Falls Bike Project invites all bikers, trikers and unicyclists to meet up at 10:15 a.m. on Shepard Lane in Saxtons River to decorate their rides in advance of the parade.
After the parade, grab a snack from the Street Fair and check out the volunteer firefighters' firehose water polo matches for what event organizers describe as "a wet and wild time."
Live music from 1 to 3 p.m. will feature the Creekside Ramblers, a folk and Americana trio of local musicians: Natalie Padilla (Low Lily) on fiddle, Jake Grieco (Outbound Traveler) on rhythm guitar and lead vocals, and Jake Morrow on mandolin and other strings. Musical influences for the trio range from Doc Watson to Jerry Garcia to Tom Petty.
Pickup softball games starts at 5 p.m. at the Saxtons River Recreation Area. All are welcome to play.
T-shirts will be on sale outside the Saxtons River Village Market on Saturday, June 29 and for sale during the celebration while supplies last. The $25 sales price will support the event.
This year, Anna Clark, a local artist and designer of this year's poster and shirt graphic, will be screen printing live at the Street Fair to embrace a reuse mindset and keep textiles out of the landfill. Bring your own shirt or other fabric item to print. A $10 suggested donation will support the 2025 Saxtons River Fourth of July Celebration. Hand-printed and signed posters will also be available.
Organizers are still looking for volunteers to help out the day of the event. If you can lend a hand, complete the form on the website or connect with their volunteer coordinator at [email protected].
This News item was submitted to The Commons.