Carnival starts Wed., June 29 and runs through Sunday
Celebrate Independence Day with a day on the bay full of music, family fun activities, traditional parade with hundreds of participants and a carnival in Havre de Grace.
The carnival begins Wed., June 29, in Tydings Park off Congress Avenue, and continues through Sun., July 3. The carnival runs from 6 to 10 p.m., Wed., June 29 through Fri., July 1. On Sat., July 2, the carnival opens early for Super Saturday Family Day from 1 to 4 p.m., with $10 pricing, and pricing on Saturday evening from 4 to 9:30 p.m. at $24. The pay one price special is offered Wednesday through Saturday in the evening at $24 for unlimited rides. Individual ride tickets will be available nightly.
The greatly anticipated Havre de Grace Independence Day Parade will be on Sunday, July 3, at 2 p.m. on Union Avenue. On that day the carnival will operate from 3 to 9:45 p.m. with pricing at $25.
There are also $4 off coupons for the carnival which are good Wednesday and Thursdays only. These are available at a variety of locations in Havre de Grace including: Frank’s Pizza on Revolution Street; Joseph’s Department Store on Washington Street; the Havre de Grace Activity Center on Lewis Lane; and the Havre de Grace Visitor’s Center on Pennington Avenue.
The Independence Day Parade starting at 2 p.m., Sun., July 3, on Union Avenue, features 22 musical units including: Havre de Grace High School; The Ravens’ Marching Band; John F. Nicoll Pipes and Drums; The Atlantic Watch Pipe Band; Harford Highlanders Pipe Band; Westminster Community Band; Calvert Hall College High School Band; The American Originals; The Polish American Mummers String Band; Archer-Epler Musketeers; The Fusion Corps; Shenandoah Sound; Reilly Raiders; Carolina Gold; The Skyliners; Alliance; White Sabers; Reading; Core Visual Performers; Thunder Brigade Drum and Bugle Corps; and the Penn Dixie Band and Tri-State Singers.
Great music from start to finish is combined with outstanding majorette and dance units, some with more than 100 marchers. Grand Marshal, long-time supporter of the Havre de Grace Independence Day Celebration Allen Fair, will also be on the parade route with other local dignitaries, fire companies and floats. Organizers have also booked Color Guards, clowns, antique vehicles, youth groups, racing vehicles, custom cars, equestrian units and other entries.
Following the parade there will be music provided by Jeff Thompson in the Yacht Basin at Tydings Park starting at 7:30 p.m., in advance of the tremendous $30,000 fireworks show, sponsored in part by Baltimore Gas and Electric in honor of their 200th year. The fireworks are scheduled to begin at 9:30 p.m. from the island. A rain date for the fireworks is set for Mon., July 4, at 9:30 p.m.
Celebration t-shirts are available now at the Havre de Grace Chamber of Commerce office on Pennington Avenue, and will be sold at the carnival for $8, with 3XL available at $10.
Parking is available on the streets of Havre de Grace with limited handicapped parking in Tydings Park. There are no admission fees and all activities are handicapped accessible. No chairs may be placed on the parade route prior to 8 a.m. on July 3. Those joining us by water should contact the Dockmaster for slip rentals at Tydings Park at 410-939-0015.
For additional information or details call the Havre de Grace Office of Tourism at 410-939-2100 or the Havre de Grace Independence Day Celebration Committee at 410-939-4362.
