Your guide to watch the fireworks, celebrate July 4

Where to Watch the Fireworks
Richard Pfitzner Stadium
7 County Complex Ct.
Woodbridge, VA 22192

Manassas Park
Signal Hill Park
Signal View Drive

Manassas
Harris Pavilion
Center and West streets

Quantico Marine Corps
Lunga Park
MCB-4 Road
7.5 miles west of the South Gate to Quantico Marine Base

Montclair
Dolphin Beach
3561 Waterway Drive

Many people believe fireworks originated in China. Others say India made the sparkling discovery, according to fireworks.com.

But July Fourth, fireworks are all about the U.S. of A. And here you can see blasts, parades and celebrations at sites from Washington to Quantico and from Manassas Park to Woodbridge.

So haul out Ol’ Glory on Saturday, settle into a comfy chair and crank the Lee Greenwood. Another Fourth is here, and you can be proud to be an American.

Cities celebrate America

Manassas Park will host a Fourth of July bash Saturday at Signal Hill Park.

The “Celebrate America” event runs from 5 to 10 p.m. and ends with a big fireworks show.

Beforehand, you’ll find food, entertainments and rides for the kids.

You can get a wristband for the rides for $12.

Onsite parking will be limited but available at the Virginia Railway Express parking lot and Manassas Park City Hall at One Park Center Court for $5 per car.

Alcohol, gas or charcoal grills, skateboards, bicycles, scooters, sparklers and other fireworks are banned from the event and dogs must be leashed at all times.
“Aces and 8’s” will perform at the event.

Manassas also is hosting Fourth of July festivities with the same “Celebrate America” theme between 4 and 10 p.m. Enjoy beach music by the band “Latitude” at the Harris Pavilion, kiddie rides, carnival food, face painting and a hayride in the area of the train station.

Fireworks begin at 9:15 p.m.

Handicapped parking will be available at Prince William Commuter lot F, at Prince William at Main streets after 4 p.m. and at the Manassas Museum lot after 5 p.m.
General parking will be available in the remaining commuter lots on Prince William Street, Baldwin Elementary School and Metz Middle School.

Dale City’s annual Fourth of July parade returns

The 41st annual Dale City Fourth of July Parade — the largest in Virginia — steps off at 10 a.m. Saturday morning.

Organizers say there are 125 entries in the parade from Kirkdale Drive to Gemini Way, and they expect at least 15,000 people to come out and watch.

Parade-goers can park in the commuter lot behind Center Plaza if they get there early enough. There’s also some parking available at the commuter lot behind the Dale City Volunteer Fire Department’s Hillendale station.

You can’t park at Mapledale Plaza or the Dale City Boys and Girls Club, because that’s where all the parade entries will be staging.

Traffic on eastbound Dale Boulevard will be shut down before 9 a.m. The westbound lanes will be turned into a two-lane road, with many side streets closed to traffic.

Organizer Irene Dell, with the Dale City Civic Association, says to expect delays from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

During and after the parade, check out “family fun day” in the commuter lot at Gemini Way. Old Mine Ranch will bring its petting zoo and offer pony rides for 50 cents. There will also be carnival games, food and drinks for sale.

Quantico hosts a blast

The Quantico Marine Corps base Independence Day celebration will be held at Lunga Park and is open to the public. A DJ will provide music from 2 to 10 p.m.; food and beverages from 4 to 9 p.m.; children’s rides from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m.; music from the Quantico Marine Corps Base Rock Band from 7:15 to 9:15 p.m.; and fireworks will begin at 9:15 p.m. The event is free. For more information, call 703-784-9454. Lunga Park is located about 7.5 miles west of the South Gate to Quantico Marine Base on MCB-4 Road.

Join the Montclair bike parade

Decorate your wagon or bike and join your neighbors for Montclair’s annual Fourth of July Bike Parade. The parade departs at 10 a.m. from the MPOA building parking lot. The parade route takes participants down the sidewalk along Waterway Drive to the finish at the Henderson Elementary School parking lot.

Saturday night, head to Dolphin Beach for a fireworks show. The beach and the surrounding streets are packed by 7 p.m. If you plan on walking down to the beach, please note that the walkway across the dam will be closed to pedestrian traffic from 4 p.m. until midnight.

Be sure to grab some food while you’re at the beach. The Lions Club will grill up a community picnic starting at 5 p.m.

Country music favorites will be provided by the Honky Tonk Experience under the tent from 6 to 9 p.m. at Dolphin Beach. Join them in singing and dancing to your favorites while waiting for the fireworks to begin.

Residents will need to wear their 2009-10 recreation tags for admission to the Bike Parade and entrance to the beach. No alcoholic beverages are allowed at the beach.

Haymarket winery toasts the Fourth

There’s an old-fashioned celebration going on Saturday at the Winery at La Grange, located at 4970 Antioch Road in Haymarket. The winery will host lawn games, food specials and wine tastings from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, visit wineryatlagrange.com or call 703-753-9360.