June 28, 2021
Ryan Sneddon
|
Publisher
The Fourth of July is always a special holiday but this year is even more special. When Covid vaccinations were ramping up, Annapolis leaders decided Independence Day was going to be the reopening of Annapolis if numbers were where they needed to be. Good news. Numbers are where they need to be and the celebration is on!
The Pride of Baltimore, Wilma Lee, and Providence are headed to the Annapolis Harbor for the weekend. Catch the arrival around 4 PM then the official welcome at City Dock with Annapolis Maritime Museum personnel, National Park Service staff, and Mayor Buckley at 5:30 PM.
Bring your own dinner or purchase something tasty from a food truck and come out for the big family picnic at Maryland Hall. A DJ will be spinning tracks and there will be kids crafts that might end up on a float in the Saturday Parade.
4 to 8 PM @ 800 Chase Street
7 to 9 PM @ 14 Dorsey Avenue
Main Street will be closed between Francis Street and Church Circle for tango dancing with a live orchestra.
7 to 10 PM
The Annapolis parade will step off at 10:30 AM at the intersection of Amos Garrett Road and West Street and march to City Dock.
Artists in collaboration with the Art in Public Places Commission will be painting outside at various locations around downtown all weekend.
Main Street will be closed between 12 and 4 PM for chalk art, hula hoops, and bubble machines.
Main Street will also be closed between 2 and 6 PM for big bands:
It wouldn't be an Annapolis summer Saturday without Dinner Under the Stars. Grab an al fresco bite at Stan and Joe's, 49 West, Luna Blu, Rams Head Tavern, or Tsunami and eat right in the middle of West Street. Live music from 6 to 9 PM from Rose Moraes Band.
Don't miss gospel music on the stage from 6 to 7:45 PM and Motown music from 8 to 10 PM.
A Brazilian band will play music while you dance on a closed West Street from 2 to 5 PM.
Try some salsa dancing at Susan Campbell Park from 6:30 to 9:30 PM.
A great group of local restaurants are offering specials July 3 - 11 to celebrate the Severna Park Chamber of Commerce's Star Spangled Restaurant Week:
The West Annapolis parade will have a ceremony with Mayor Buckley at 9 AM then step off from Wardour Circle at 9:30 AM and march to West Annapolis Elementary.
Stop by People's Park at 44 Calvert Street between 9 AM and noon to enjoy the voices of various local choir groups.
Eastport's own Independence Day parade will step off from Eastport Elementary at 10:30 AM and march to Turner Park.
Live music returns to the First Sunday Arts Festival this weekend. Shop with 100+ local artisans between 11 AM and 5 PM on West Street between the Graduate Hotel and Church Circle, as well as down Calvert Street to People's Park.
DJ Landis will spin tracks while local dance groups give presentations and let everyone in on the fun.
3 to 6 PM. Main Street between Francis Street and Church Circle.
MC3's contemporary dance company will give a performance at Susan Campbell Park at 6:30 PM. Then the Naval Academy Brass Band will perform at 8 PM.
Annapolis will launch a grand fireworks display from a barge in the harbor around 9 PM. The best viewing places will be at City Dock, the Naval Academy Bridge, street end parks facing the harbor, a stand up paddleboard, and of course... on a boat in the harbor itself. The Eastport bridge will be closed to traffic towards downtown at 6 PM and remain closed until 10 PM.
This year's theme is Celebrating our CommUNITY. The parade will start at 10 AM on Benfield Road then march to Evergreen, left on Riggs, right on Baltimore Annapolis, then end on Cypress Creek Road.
Don't miss the kids decorated bike contest at the Chamber of Commerce starting at 9:15 AM. 1 Holly Avenue.
Also see shuttle service below.
Recommended parking:
Starting at 4 PM on July 4 and going until 10:30 PM, there will be no parking (with towing enforcement) in the following areas:
Resident only parking:
The Circulator trolley will run from the Knighton and Park Place garages to the top of Main Street from 8 AM to 11 PM. The city is also providing shuttle service from gate 5 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium to Lawyers Mall from 5 PM to midnight.
There will be no regular Annapolis Transit Bus Service on July 4. City Transit will operate normal service July 2 and 5.
The Eastport bridge will not open July 4 between 8:30 PM and 11 PM. There will also be a 1,000 foot safety zone around the fireworks barge. Boaters are encouraged to select their anchorage well in advance of the fireworks show.
City of Annapolis offices will be closed July 2 and July 5. The Pip Moyer and Stanton Centers will be open July 2 and 5, but closed on July 4. The Truxtun Park pool will be open 11 AM to 6 PM on July 4. The pool will be open regular hours July 2 and 5.
The Anne Arundel County Public Library will be closed July 4 and 5.
City: Monday collections pushed to Tuesday. Tuesday collections pushed to Wednesday. No bulk metal collection Wednesday.
County: Monday collections pushed to Tuesday. Tuesday collections pushed to Wednesday. All facilities closed.
Vehicular traffic will be denied access to the downtown area beginning at 5 PM until approximately 10:30 PM Road blocks will also be set up in the following locations:
Traffic will be allowed to flow down Duke of Gloucester Street from Church Circle and into Eastport via one lane (not into downtown Annapolis) until 9 PM. At that time, the Spa Creek Bridge will be closed and Duke of Gloucester Street will be closed to ensure pedestrian safety and to facilitate the movement of foot traffic leaving the area after the fireworks display.
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