An America250 semiquincentennial flag flies at the Four Columns Inn in Newfane. Photo by Kevin O’Connor/VTDigger The Green Mountain State is ready to go red, white and blue as at least 50 cities, towns and villages prepare to celebrate this Independence Day week with parades, programs and pyro technics. Even though this year marks the nation’s 250th anniversary, most communities are sticking to the same holiday events they traditionally hold, according to a VTDigger survey. Then again, those bangs are costing more bucks. Communities that rely on Vermont’s Northstar Fireworks recently learned the company’s new owner, Pennsylvania-based supplier Pyrotecnico, was raising its minimum charge by 60%, from $12,500 to $20,000. Although many places found last-minute extra money, Hinesburg had to cancel the annual fireworks show it has presented since 1976. “We’re a small town of just under 5,000 people, and the selectboard decided that’s a little too much of an increase.” Hinesburg recreation coordinator Jennifer McCuin said. “It’s disheartening, but when I explain why, people get it. We’re still going to have a great day.”  Vermont’s biggest city of Burlington is set to host the state’s largest fireworks show on Friday, July 3, to cap an evening of entertainment from 5 to 11 p.m. at Waterfront Park along Lake Champlain. The capital of Montpelier will hold its own celebration on Friday, July 3 — an event that draws up to 15,000 people to the Statehouse lawn — with food trucks and family activities starting at 3 p.m., a mile road race and parade at 6 p.m. and fireworks at 9:30 p.m. Individual businesses, organizations and attractions are holding activities too numerous to mention. But Vermont municipalities promoting free public events: Alburgh will mark the holiday on Saturday, July 4, with a parade at 11 a.m. and fireworks at dusk. Barton is set to gather at the Orleans County Fairgrounds on Saturday, July 4, for an advertised day of horse and tractor pulls and evening of music. Bennington’s program on Saturday, July 4, will start with morning speeches at the Bennington Battle Monument and end with music and fireworks at Willow Park from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Brandon’s Independence Day celebration on Friday, July 3, will include a downtown parade at 10 a.m. and fireworks at dusk. Brattleboro’s “By the People: Brattleboro Goes Fourth” observance on Saturday, July 4, will feature a 10 a.m. parade downtown and afternoon and evening program of family activities and fireworks at Living Memorial Park. Bristol’s celebration will begin Friday, July 3, with music and fireworks from 6 p.m. to dusk and continue Saturday, July 4, with an outhouse race at 9 a.m. and parade at 10:30 a.m. Brownsville will feature music and fireworks on Friday, July 3, from 6 p.m. to dusk and a parade on Saturday, July 4, at 1:30 p.m. Cabot is advertising a dance party on Friday, July 3, from 6 to 10 p.m. and a parade on Saturday, July 4, at 11 a.m. as part of a day of activities. Castleton will mark the holiday on Friday, July 3, with a parade at 10 a.m. and music and fireworks at Vermont State University starting at 7 p.m. Colchester’s observance on Saturday, July 4, will begin with a parade at 10 a.m. and end with fireworks at dusk. Corinth’s celebration on Saturday, July 4, will feature a parade at 10 a.m., followed by a chicken barbecue at the local fairgrounds at 11 a.m. Danville will offer fireworks at Joe’s Pond on Friday, July 3, at dusk. Derby’s parade is scheduled for Saturday, July 4, at 10 a.m. Dover will offer music and fireworks at the Mount Snow resort on Friday, July 3, from 5 to 9 p.m. Essex Junction’s program on Saturday, July 4, will feature music at the Champlain Valley Exposition from 6 p.m. until fireworks at 9:30 p.m. Fairlee’s shared celebration with neighboring Orford, New Hampshire, on Saturday, July 4, will include a parade at 11 a.m. and fireworks at dusk. READ MORE Greensboro’s “Funky Fourth” on Saturday, July 4, will feature a parade and community picnic at 10 a.m. and a free Vermont Philharmonic concert at the Highland Center for the Arts at 6:30 p.m. Guilford will gather on Saturday, July 4, for a noon reading of the Declaration of Independence at the local Meeting House before moving on to a 12:30 p.m. picnic at the nearby Broad Brook Community Center. Hartford’s celebration on Saturday, July 4, will include music and fireworks at Kilowatt Park starting at 5:30 p.m. Hartland’s Old Home Days will start on Saturday, July 4, with a tractor pull at 8 a.m. and a parade at 10 a.m. and continue on Sunday, July 5, with music at 7 p.m. and fireworks at 9 p.m. Hinesburg’s program on Saturday, July 4, will include a parade at 11 a.m. and food and music at noon. Island Pond’s event will start on Saturday, July 4, with a parade at 11 a.m. and finish on Sunday, July 5, with music and fireworks at Lakeside Park from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Jeffersonville’s celebration on Saturday, July 4, will feature a parade at 10 a.m. and music and fireworks at Smugglers’ Notch Resort from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Killington’s event on Saturday, July 4, will include a parade at 10 a.m. and music and fireworks from 7 to 9 p.m. Londonderry will hold a celebration at Magic Mountain on Thursday, July 2, with music and fireworks from 6 to 10 p.m. Ludlow will offer music and fireworks at the Okemo Mountain resort on Saturday, July 4, from 7 p.m. to dusk. Milton’s celebration on Saturday, July 4, will begin with a parade at 11 a.m. and end with music and fireworks from 5 to 10 p.m. Newport will offer music and fireworks on Saturday, July 4, from 6 to 9:30 p.m. North Hero will see fireworks at Knight Point State Park on Friday, July 3, at dusk. Peacham’s July 4th celebration on Saturday, July 4, will feature a tractor parade at 11 a.m. and festivities until 4 p.m. Plymouth will celebrate the late President Calvin Coolidge’s birthday at his former home on Saturday, July 4, starting at 10 a.m. Poultney’s celebration will start on Friday, July 3, with fireworks at dusk and continue on Saturday, July 4, with a parade at 10 a.m. READ MORE Randolph will offer a parade and festival on Saturday, July 4, at 10 a.m. Richmond will gather on Saturday, July 4, for a parade through town at 10:35 a.m., followed by festivities before fireworks at dusk. Rochester will present a parade on Saturday, July 4, at 11 a.m. Rutland is set for a return of fireworks on Saturday, July 4, at 9:45 p.m. on the grounds of the Vermont State Fair. Saxtons River’s celebration on Saturday, July 4, will feature a parade and street fair at 11 a.m. South Hero will hold a parade on Saturday, July 4, at 11 a.m. Stowe’s “Old-Fashioned Fourth of July” on Saturday, July 4, will include two parades — one in Moscow at 10 a.m. and another on Main Street at noon — and fireworks at dusk. Strafford festivities on Saturday, July 4, will include a parade at 11:30 a.m., a “Fabulous Frog Jumping Competition” at noon and a Strafford versus South Strafford tug of war at 2 p.m. Stratton Mountain’s Fourth of July weekend will include fireworks on Saturday, July 4, at 9:15 p.m. Vershire’s program on Saturday, July 4, will include field games from 3 to 6 p.m. and food and fireworks from 6 to 9 p.m. Wardsboro will hold its annual parade and street fair on Saturday, July 4, starting at 9 a.m. Warren’s event on Saturday, July 4, will feature a parade at 10 a.m. and an afternoon and evening of music at the Sugarbush Resort leading to fireworks at dusk. Westmore’s agenda on Saturday, July 4, includes a pancake breakfast at 8 a.m., a chicken barbecue at 1 p.m. and a boat parade at 3 p.m. Williston’s program on Saturday, July 4, will include a parade at 10 a.m. and fireworks at 9:20 p.m. Wilmington will present music and fireworks on Thursday, July 2, from 6 to 10 p.m. Woodstock will offer music and fireworks on Sunday, July 5, from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. And Woodsville and Wells River’s celebration on Saturday, July 4, will feature a parade at 11 a.m. and fireworks at 10 p.m. Read the story on VTDigger here: Vermont set to celebrate nation’s 250th birthday with fireworks and festivities. ...read more read less