BOOM!: Where to find parades, fireworks displays, and more on July 4

Karly Graham, The Petoskey News-Review
·7 min read
From fireworks displays to downtown parades, here's what you can do to celebrate the Fourth of July in Northern Michigan.
From fireworks displays to downtown parades, here's what you can do to celebrate the Fourth of July in Northern Michigan.

NORTHERN MICHIGAN — With Independence Day just around the corner, there are plenty of fun events taking place across Northern Michigan.

Whether you're looking for wiener dog races, parades, fireworks, concerts or more, you can find it in Northern Michigan.

Saturday, July 1

Brimley

In Brimley, there will be a Canada Day Firework Cruise offered from the Soo Locks Boat Tours. The cruise will not go through the Soo Locks, and will begin at 9 p.m. July 1. The tour is about 90 minutes long and will be a harbor cruise of the St. Marys River. There will be an Independence Day cruise offered on July 4 as well. Tickets are limited.

Gaylord

Festivities will kick off early in Gaylord. A fireworks display will take place from 10-11 p.m. on July 1 over Otsego Lake.

Sunday, July 2

Boyne City

At noon on July 2, a Patriotic Boat Parade will kick off at the Boyne City Marina, where boats will do two loops around Lake Charlevoix before ending at a sand bar party at Young State Park.

From 1-5 p.m. Sunday, there will be a cornhole tournament at Old City Park.

For the full schedule of events, visit boyne4thofjuly.com.

Indian River

On July 2, fireworks will be shot off from the end of Veteran's Pier in Indian River. If it rains, the day will change to July 5.

Walloon Lake

The Village of Walloon Lake will be hosting its sixth annual Big Show Over the Little Village this Sunday, July 2.

From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. the Fine Art Show will be running, and live music from Jedi Mind Trip will start at 6:30 p.m. At 10:30 p.m., the national anthem will be played and fireworks display will begin.

Millie of Traverse City, and her jockey, took part in the first annual Wiener Dog Races in Harbor Springs.
Millie of Traverse City, and her jockey, took part in the first annual Wiener Dog Races in Harbor Springs.

Monday, July 3

Harbor Springs

The 2023 Weiner Dog Races are back this July 3 in Harbor Springs. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m. and the races start at 11 a.m. The races will be held at Jean Jardine Park next to city hall.

Mackinaw City

At 9 p.m. on July 3, the gates will open to Colonial Michilimackinac, where the staff will be firing off the entire artillery as the sun goes down. The event is free, but donations are encouraged.

Bay Harbor

Bay Harbor will be hosting a show with the Petoskey Steel Drum Band, along with balloon twisting, face painting and a magic show from Jania Taylor, all beginning ta 8 p.m. July 3. The fireworks show will begin at dusk.

Tuesday, July 4

Bay Harbor

Bay Harbor will host a parade at 11 a.m. on July 4.

Beaver Island

Beaver Island will host a parade at 1 p.m. July 4, featuring an Island Airways flyover, and emergency services leading the way. The parade lineup will begin at 12:30 p.m. at Holy Cross Church along Kings Highway.

At 9 p.m. there will be a Venetian boat parade off the shores of Paradise Bay. Fireworks will be shot over the bay from Whiskey Point beginning around 10 p.m.

Brimley

In Brimley, there will be an Independence Day Firework Cruise offered from the Soo Locks Boat Tours. The cruise will not go through the Soo Locks, and will begin at 9 p.m. July 4. The tour is about 90 minutes long and will be a harbor cruise of the St. Marys River. Tickets are limited.

The Boyne City High School Marching Band performs on Water Street in downtown Boyne City during the community’s Fourth of July Parade in 2019.
The Boyne City High School Marching Band performs on Water Street in downtown Boyne City during the community’s Fourth of July Parade in 2019.

Boyne City

On July 4, the Boyne City parade will kick off at 10 a.m., with Janet Froats-Shepherd as the Grand Marshal. After the parade, live music will be played at Veterans Memorial Park from 1-7 p.m. Country Thunder, Yankee Station and Crosscut Kings will all be performing.

At 10:30 p.m., fireworks will begin over Lake Charlevoix.

For the full schedule of events, visit boyne4thofjuly.com.

Cheboygan

On Tuesday, July 4, the Cheboygan Downtown Development Authority is hosting their own parade, kicking off at 10 a.m. on Main Street.

As a part of Music On Main, Sav Buist of The Accidentals will be performing at 1 p.m. July 4 at the Cheboygan Brewing Company.

The fireworks show will begin at dusk. The best viewing area is surrounding the Cheboygan County Fairgrounds on Lincoln Avenue.

The Young Americans march in the Fourth of July parade in Harbor Springs.
The Young Americans march in the Fourth of July parade in Harbor Springs.

Harbor Springs

In Harbor Springs, the Fourth of July parade will kick off at 1 p.m. It starts at city hall before heading west, turning at State Street, left on Bay Street, and ending at city hall again.

Fireworks will begin at dusk, around 10:30 p.m., and will go off over the harbor.

Indian River

The Indian River Fourth of July parade will kick off at 11 a.m.

Johannesburg

Johannesburg will be holding a parade at 11 a.m. July 4. The lineup begins at the Johannesburg School. Fireworks will begin at dusk.

The Petoskey Steel Drum Band performs on a float during the Petoskey Fourth of July parade on Mitchell Street in downtown Petoskey on July 4, 2022.
The Petoskey Steel Drum Band performs on a float during the Petoskey Fourth of July parade on Mitchell Street in downtown Petoskey on July 4, 2022.

Petoskey

Petoskey will have lots of family fun available for visitors and residents alike.

The Petoskey Fourth of July Parade is set to kick off at 6 p.m. on July 4. The parade will feature the North Central Michigan College mascot, the Petoskey High School marching and steel drum bands, and more. The parade will line up at the high school before heading down Mitchell Street, across on Petoskey Street to Lake Street, and then end at the gazebo at Pennsylvania Park.

Following the parade, the Little Traverse Historical Society will be hosting an ice cream social beginning at 7 p.m. Donations will be accepted and will go towards helping fund the museum. There will be ice cream bars, ice cream sandwiches and ice cream cups.

There will also be musical performances with the Steel Drum Band playing at the gazebo around 7 p.m. From 7:30 to the fireworks show, The Third Degree, Rusty Drake and Recovery NOTES will be performing on the Main Stage behind the Public Safety Department near the breakwater.

The Petoskey fireworks show is set to begin around 10:30 p.m. over Little Traverse Bay. The best viewing area is along Petoskey’s Bayfront Park.

A woman wearing an American flag Statue of Liberty costume waves to kids during the Petoskey Fourth of July parade on Mitchell Street in downtown Petoskey on July 4.
A woman wearing an American flag Statue of Liberty costume waves to kids during the Petoskey Fourth of July parade on Mitchell Street in downtown Petoskey on July 4.

Bay View

At 8 p.m. Tuesday, the Bay View Association will be hosting its annual Fourthfest, with a one-hour concert at the John M. Hall Auditorium. The show will start with “America the Beautiful,” and an armed forces salute by various composers.

Tickets are available for guests for $19.50 at bva.booktix.com.

Mackinaw City

On July 4, Mackinaw City will be hosting games on the Marina Lawn starting at 1:30 p.m. At dusk, fireworks will be launched over the bay.

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Mackinac Island

This July 4, Mackinac Island is hosting its own day of fun. At 9 a.m., registration for the W.T. Rabe Stone Skipping Competition will begin at Windermere Point.

There will be three divisions: for ages 5 and under, ages 6-12, and then 13 and older. Professionals can register by contacting the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau.

There will also be games available for people and families to play throughout the afternoon.

At dusk, two firework displays will go off simultaneously around the island. They are expected to begin around 10 p.m.

Fort Mackinac is hosting its own Fourth of July events as well, celebrating an 1880s Independence Day. There will be games and sack races on the parade grounds starting at 1:30 p.m., and special programming — like 38 rifle blasts, the reading of the Declaration of Independence, and a cannon salute, for example — all kick off at 2 p.m.

Sault Ste. Marie

In the Soo, Independence Day festivities include the annual Fourth of July parade. The parade begins at 7 p.m. from Davitt Street before heading to the downtown area. Fireworks will follow.

There will be a quiet zone enforced along the beginning of the parade route from 14th to 12th avenues, meaning no horns, music or alarms will be permitted.

— Contact reporter Karly Graham atkgraham@petoskeynews.com. Follow her on Twitter at@KarlyGrahamJRN. 

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Where to find parades, fireworks displays, more this July 4 in Northern Michigan