America’s birthday week features four straight nights of explosions in the sky bookended on the ground by vintage rides.
Tuesday, July 1
Starting at 6, a cruise night at New England Brewing Company in Woodbridge invites the public to park and admire their vintage rides outside.
Also at 6, a Bluegrass Jam at East Haven’s Shore Line Trolley Museum promises “an evening of musical enchantment… surrounded by the timeless allure of vintage trolleys.”
Wednesday, July 2
Amarante’s Sea Cliff hosts a Dine & Line Dancing Night, with dinner outside at 5 p.m. and line dancing inside at 6:30.
At 6, the Madison Beach Hotel hosts a cookout featuring “summertime favorites and our Beach Bar” in the lead-up to the town’s 9:30 Fourth of July fireworks show over West Wharf Beach, right behind the hotel. The cookout also features live music from Lovefox, a cover band where everyone’s a lead singer.
At 7, Milford’s Scoot & Paddle is holding a sunset paddle timed to catch Stratford’s fireworks show just down the coast, which is set to commence at 9. “Bring headlamps, lanterns, deck lighting, glow sticks, etc. We will be hugging the coast coming back to shore in the dark. Experienced paddlers only please, and we only are a go if conditions are right.”
For a lower-key night, Best Video in Hamden holds its next monthly Movie Trivia Night, also starting at 7.
Thursday, July 3
At 8, Stella Blues hosts Beats, Bits and Bytes, a “retro video game popup” featuring seven consoles, seven DJs and a guest chef.
At 9:15, West Haven fires its ’works over Bradley Point, with visibility up and down the city’s long beachy coastline. Before then, “during the afternoon and evening, a fleet of food and dessert trucks will dish up eats and sweets on Captain Thomas Boulevard, near Dyke Street, and Ocean Avenue, near Dawson Avenue,” while live music from 6 to 9 comes courtesy of Longshot, which I’m guessing is a rock ’n’ roll cover band.
Friday, July 4 - Independence Day
As is custom, New Haven’s fireworks lay claim to the Fourth itself. Wilbur Cross High School is the official viewing area, with the show set to begin at 9 p.m. above East Rock Park.
Saturday, July 5
From 10 to 4, Lyman Orchards in Middlefield hosts a family-oriented Raspberry Festival featuring food trucks, live music, face painting, wagon/train rides, a petting farm and, of course, pick-your-own raspberries.
Meanwhile, from 11 to 3 at the historic Thomas Griswold House—which actually existed at the time the Declaration of Independence was issued—the Guilford Keeping Society holds an Independence Day picnic promising “games, music and good cheer.”
And then there were more fireworks, this time at the Orange Fairgrounds. The explosions start “at dusk,” after a 6:30 concert headlined by “‘old-school’ R&B” specialists The Bernadettes and attended by food trucks.
Sunday, July 6
Port 5, the seat of “the last and only active National Association of Naval Veterans in the entire United States” and also a Bridgeport event hall with a “galley” and bar, hosts an open-invitation motorcycle show from noon to 4. Attractions include food and drink specials, a DJ, cornhole boards, a 50/50 raffle and show prizes for “best paint,” “most outrageous” and “best in show.”
Written and photographed by Dan Mims. Readers are encouraged to verify times, locations, prices and other details before attending events.
