Get your sparkle on: Celebrating the Fourth of July in Livingston County

Will Stuart, son of The Livingston Post’s Maria Stuart, celebrates the Fourth of July in the backyard of his home in 2008.

Livingston County sure knows how to celebrate the Fourth of July. There is so much happening that we’re giving you the highlights and pointing you to various websites for further information.

However you choose to celebrate our nation’s birthday, do us a favor and be safe. And cool it with your personal fireworks shows if they include a lot of the newly legal explosives; your neighbors also have a right to their peace and quiet.

Howell

On Tuesday, the Saginaw Concert Band performs a patriotic program beginning at 7 p.m. at the Livingston County Courthouse on Grand River Avenue in downtown Howell. The concert is part of the popular — and free — Concerts at the Courthouse series of the Livingston Arts Council.

Tell ‘em John Phillip Sousa sent ya.

On the Fourth, there are loads of fun and patriotic activities taking place throughout Livingston County.

Brighton

Brighton transforms itself into the patriotic center of the American universe on the Fourth of July, with activities running all day long. Click here for the complete run-down.

For the more athletic patriots, there’s the Hungry Duck Run Half Marathon (entry fee of $50), which begins at 7 a.m., and the 5K Run/Walk (entry fee of $25), which begins at 7:15 am. Both start on St. Paul Street. There is a shuttle service available from the Brighton High School parking lot.

For those patriots who are 10 and under, the Duckling Dash takes off at 9:30 a.m. on Main Street by the Millpond.

If you’re looking for a hearty breakfast to carry you through the parade, check out the Brighton Lions’ pancake breakfast at the Lions Community Den, 465 W. Main St. Pancakes will be flipped from 7:30-11 a.m., and the cost is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $3 for kids up to age 12.

Livingston County’s biggest parade is in downtown Brighton. Themed “We the People,” the parade kicks off at 10 a.m. at the BECC Building at Church and Main streets. It marches to Seventh Street and ends in the Brighton High School parking lot.

After the parade, the Sunrise Rotary Club Great Duck Race takes place at the Brighton Millpond. There are many prizes available, including a Caribbean cruise, a Chicago weekend, and golf packages.

Village of Fowlerville

On the opposite side of the county, festive day of patriotic activities is planned for the Village of Fowlerville. You can click here for the complete schedule of events.

The fun gets started at 10 a.m. and runs well into the evening.

The popular Fowlerville Fireworks begin at 10:15 p.m. and can be viewed from the Fowlerville Fairgrounds, located on Grand River Avenue just west of downtown Fowlerville, and at the Fowlerville Community Park, located on Grand Avenue just north of the town’s main four corners.

The suggested donation is $5 a car, and alcohol and personal fireworks are not permitted in either viewing location.

Rain date for the fireworks is Thursday, July 5, at dusk.

Cohoctah Township

Across Livingston County is one of the most unique events: The Parade So Nice You See It Twice kicks off at 11 a.m. So nicknamed, the parade is the only in Livingston County that begins and ends in the same spot, about six miles north of downtown Howell.

Staging area for the parade is the machine shop on Oak Grove Road, just south of Cohoctah Road. Both roads will be closed for the parade, which travels along Oak Grove Road to Stelzer Road, turning around at the intersection and returning to the staging area.

Michigan Troubadour Neil Woodward will perform before the parade at the pancake breakfast, which is served 7-9:30 a.m. at the Oak Grove United Methodist Church, 6686 Oak Grove Road.

The breakfast will carry diners through the parade, and a pig roast at the Calvary Bible Church begins serving afterward.

In addition to the Parade So Nice You See It Twice and the breakfast and lunch/dinner, there will be arts and crafts, antique farm equipment, a bounce house, petting zoo, disc jockey and contest for bike decorating and sidewalk art.

Gregory

In the southwestern part of the county, the Gregory Fourth of July begins with a parade at noon and a military fly-over.

After the parade, an afternoon of fun is planned, which includes an antique car show, live bands and the popular Unadilla Fire Department chicken barbecue.

The annual fireworks show begins at dusk at the Gregory Ball Diamond off Church Street.