How to celebrate 4th of July this week in Butler County

Oxford

The annual Oxford Freedom Festival Parade kicks off at 6:30 p.m. at College Avenue and High Street. The parade continues down High Street for three blocks.

After the parade, there will be a concert featuring SOHIO at 7 p.m. at the Oxford Community Park in Uptown Oxford.

Wednesday, July 3

Fairfield

Fairfield’s community-wide Independence Day celebration kicks off at 5 p.m. at Marsh Park for its Red, White & Fish event, which runs until 11 p.m.

There will be a Fireworks Swim from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Fairfield Aquatic Center.

The marquee events at Harbin Park, 1300 Hunter Road, and Village Green Park, 301 Wessel Drive, begin at 8 p.m. and will feature various food vendors.

A Rozzi’s Famous Fireworks show kicks off at dark.

Middletown

The city of Middletown will host at Smith Park the annual Broad Street Blast, this year featuring David Victor (formerly of Boston) with The Kyle Wallace Experience, of Middletown, opening.

The event begins at 5 p.m. with music beginning at 6 p.m. The concert will run until sunset as the evening will feature a Rozzi’s Famous Fireworks show.

The event is free and family friendly and parking will be available around Smith Park, 500 Tytus Ave.

Oxford

Oxford continues its Fourth of July celebrations at the Oxford Community Park in Uptown.

Activities for attendees include, among others, a rock-climbing wall, inflatable rides, games, a hot air balloon, stilt walkers, trackless train, face painting and a magician.

There will also be a pie baking contest with cash prizes.

Entertainment will include by DJ John.

The annual fireworks show begins at 10 p.m.

Also, there will be a $5 per car parking fee at the Oxford Community Park.

Thursday, July 4

Liberty Twp.

The annual parade in Liberty Twp. begins at 10 a.m. from Lakota East High School.

The parade continues to Wyandot Lane, and makes its way back to the high school.

Middletown

The annual Middletown Independence Day parade kicks off at 10 a.m. at Smith Park on Tytus Avenue. It will travel south on Verity Parkway for several blocks and end at Woodside Cemetery.

Monroe

The Light Up the Sky celebration begins at noon Monroe’s Community Park, 550 S. Main St. with a parade from Kroger to the Communtiy Park. The parade travels down Macready Avenue to West Elm Street. The route heads onto South Main Street and ends at the Community Park.

A vintage baseball game begins at noon featuring the Losantiville Black Stockings against the Tippecanoe Canal Jumpers.

Two Disney princesses, Princess Merida  and Princess Jasmine, will be at the Monroe park at 5 to 7 p.m. Batman will make an appearance from 7 to 9 p.m.

Parking is available at the park, but is limited. There will be free parking at Monroe High School with a free shuttle.

Music begins with Will Fluke at 6 p.m. and 5th Crow at 8:30 p.m.

A fireworks show starts at dark.

Hamilton

The annual Fourth of July parade starts at 10 a.m. at the Butler County Fairgrounds on Ohio 4, and heads down Dayton Street and turns on to High Street at 7th. It ends at the Butler County Historic Courthouse.

There will be a patriotic ceremony at noon at the historic courthouse with Mayor Pat Moeller presiding.

The annual Taste of Hamilton featuring food trucks, as well as the Hamilton Concert Band playing at the Butler County Historic Courthouse, begins at 10 a.m.

From 11 to 3 p.m. there will be Native American and pioneer living historical demonstrations at Monument Park, 15 Monument Ave.

Heritage Hall, 20 High St., the Monument, 1 S. Monument Ave., and Butler County Historical Society, 327 N. Second St., will all have open houses from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A fireworks show launches at 10 p.m. from Veterans Park, 20 New London Road.

Franklin

The Wettest 4th of July Parade in Ohio steps off at 10 a.m. in Franklin from the Lion’s Bridge as it heads toward South Main Street and along Sixth Street. It ends at Franklin Community Park, 304 E. Sixth St.

People are invited back to the park for a 6 p.m. concert, festival and fireworks show. The Menus will perform.

The event is free with limited parking at the park, and on-street neighborhood parking throughout the area.

Ross Twp.

The classic amusement park Stricker's Grove is open 3 to 11 p.m. Admission is free to the park, but ride tickets or wristbands are available for purchase.

A fireworks show starts at 10 p.m. and is also free, but there is a parking fee. Stricker’s Grove is at 11490 Hamilton-Cleves Road in Ross Twp.

Friday, July 5

Hueston Woods

The annual Firework Extravaganza at Hueston Woods State Park, 6301 Park Office Road in College Corner, will end the week of celebrations around the area.

The fireworks show begins shortly after dark.

Middletown

The All-American Heroes Weekend on July 5 and 6 kicks off on Friday at Governor’s Square downtown where people can meet hometown heroes, including police officer and firefighters, and members of the military). There will also be interactive patriotic activities, and it is the city’s First Friday event so downtown shops and eateries will be open late.

Starting at noon on Saturday, July 6, there will be events at Swallen’s Park, which includes, among other things, free bounce houses, obstacle course and face painting. Live music starts at noon and will run until 9 p.m.