Best Places to Celebrate the Fourth

Fourth of July Events

Independence Day Beach Ball: Traditional clambake on the beach with live music to keep you grooving through the night. The Ocean House, 1 Bluff Ave., Watch Hill. July 4. oceanhouseevents.com

Fourth of July Clambake: Celebrate the birth of the nation with a traditional New England clambake. Stick around for post-dinner s’mores at the Weekapaug Inn, 25 Spray Rock Rd., Weekapaug. July 4. weekapaugevents.com

Family Fourth of July Celebration: A decades old tradition in South Kingstown featuring live musical entertainment, children’s activities, food vendors and fireworks from 5 – 9pm at Old Mountain Field, Kingstown Rd., Wakefield. July 4. southkingstownri.com

88th Annual Ancient & Horribles Parade: Nothing is sacred as Gloucester locals spoof local and national politics during this famous parade on the Fourth of July. The parade first wound its way down Main Street in Chepachet, in 1926 and has continued to delight Glocester residents (and many others) every year since. July 4, 4pm. glocesterri.org

Arnold Mills Parade: Road race, parade and band concert. The theme for this year’s parade is Proud to be an American. Activities start at 9am, Diamond Hill State Park, Cumberland. July 4. arnoldmillsparade.com

Bluegrass on the Pawtuxet: This first annual event from Angry Lobster Events and the RI Bluegrass Alliance turns Pawtuxet Village and Rhodes on the Pawtuxet into a Bluegrass mecca, featuring camping, master classes, and lots of performances, including the Steeldrivers, Pete & Joan Wernick, Tony Trischka and Blue Highway. July 4 – 6

19th Annual New Bedford Folk Festival: Featuring nearly 50 of the best in contemporary, traditional and Celtic folk music, including Chris Smither, Poor Old Shine, Vance Gilbert, Christine Lavin and Don White, the Celtic group RUNA and Grammy Award winning children’s entertainer Bill Harley. Arts and craft vendors, food and drinks downtown outside of Zeiterion Performing Arts Center and the Whaling National Historical Park in New Bedford. July 5 – 6, 11am – 9pm.

Fireworks

Block Island, Thursday 3, 9pm, Crescent Beach, blockislandinfo.com

Bristol, Thursday 3, 9pm, Independence Park, july4thbristolri.com

Cumberland, Thursday 3, 9pm, Cumberland High School, 2600 Mendon Rd., cumberlandri.org

East Providence, Thursday 3, 9pm, Pierce Memorial Stadium, 201 Mercer St., epheritagedays.com

Fall River, Friday 4, 9:30pm, Battle Ship Cove, 5 Water St., battleshipcove.org

Jamestown, Saturday 5, 9pm, East Ferry Beach, rockethogs.com

Narragansett, Friday 4, 9pm, Narragansett Town Beach, narragansettri.gov

New Bedford, Friday 4, 9pm, Hurricane Barrier, centralrichamber.com/1048/events/fireworks         New London, Friday 11-Sunday 13, Sundown, New London Waterfront, sailfestnl.org

Newport, Friday 4, 9pm, Newport Harbor,  centralrichamber.com/1048/events/fireworks

Newport, Friday 4, 9pm, Rose Island Lighthouse, 365 Thames St, roseislandlighthouse.org/events.html

North Kingston, Saturday 5, Sundown, North Kingston Town Beach, lafayette-band.com

Warwick, Thursday 3, 9pm, Oakland Beach, warwickri.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1217:annual-fireworks-display-set-for-july-3&catid=192:news-archives-2012&Itemid=207