Your guide to July 4

We don’t recommend dumping tea into your neighborhood pool or riding a horse down the Prince William Parkway screaming “The British are coming!” There other great ways to celebrate the Fourth of July. Have a barbecue, see some fireworks ... “Where,” you ask? Well, we’ve got the haps right here.
» Celebrate America! Live music, food, a pie baking contest, rides and games start at 4 p.m. and the festivities run until a firework display at 9 p.m. Bring lawn chairs and blankets to get a good spot on the seat of the Manassas Museum lawn, 9101 Prince William Street, Manassas, or walk around and check out the festivities by the train depot or the Loy E. Harris Pavilion. Free, except for rides and food; 703-361-6599, .

» The Dale City Fourth of July Parade The parade starts at 10 a.m. at Kirkdale and Dale Blvd. and proceeds to Gemini Way, where there will be pony rides, a petting zoo, music, helicopter landings and more. Tickets for this Family Fun Day are 50 cents. Food can be purchased from vendors. Trophies will be awarded to the best floats. Call 703-980-0892 or 703-590-2506.

» Across town there’s a similar celebration of America’s Independence Day at Signal Hill Park. Games, food, rides and fireworks — the festivities start at 5, the fireworks light up the sky at dark. Limited parking available for $3 a car, or take advantage of the free bus shuttle service from all Omnilink stops along Manassas Drive, Manassas Park VRE lot, City Hall, Costello Park Recreation Center, Manassas Park High School or Manassas Park Shopping Center. No alcohol or grills; 9300 Signal View Drive, Manassas Park; 703-335-8874.
» Watch two American traditions: Fourth of July fireworks and baseball. The Potomac Nationals take on the Myrtle Beach Pelicans at 6:35 p.m., fireworks follow the game, 7 County Complex Court, Woodbridge. Ticket prices range from $7 to $13, everyone gets a free American flag; 703-590-2311, PotomacNationals.com.

Of course, the D.C. area is loaded with stuff to do all holiday weekend long. Here are a couple non-Prince William County ways to spend your Fourth (if you can afford the gas):
» Your best bet for America’s birthday is in the heart of the nation’s capitol. Things kick off at 10 a.m. with the National Archives celebration, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival runs from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on the National Mall. Or, walk around the monuments and take in a museum, see a parade, or catch American Idol Taylor Hicks, Huey Lewis and the News and Jerry Lee Lewis perform on the Capitol West Lawn, all before the fireworks commence at 9 p.m. Definitely use Metro, and plan your whole day at washington.org. Check out Metro’s weekend schedule.
» If you want to avoid the Metro crowd, activities at Mount Vernon run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., leaving you plenty of time to get to the fireworks of your choice. There will be live music, historic interpreters and even General Washington himself, all at Historic Mount Vernon, 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon.
Included with the cost of admission; $13 adults, senior and youth rates available; 703-780-2000, mountvernon.org.
» Headed in the other direction, it might be worth it to check out the Great Meadow Fourth of July. There will be an air show, model rockets, live music, radio-controlled airplanes, polo and fireworks. Tickets are $20 per car in advance, $40 at the gate at Great Meadow, 5089 Old Tavern Road, The Plains; 540-253-5000, greatmeadow.org.

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