For UNC students and community members who long for something to do on the Fourth of July this year, here is a guide to the many events that Chapel Hill and Carrboro offer to celebrate Independence Day.
Carrboro Town Celebration
Carrboro’s Fourth of July celebration will take place this Monday, with pre-event activities set to begin at 9:30 a.m. at Weaver Street Market.
Following the bike/wagon decorating and costume contests on the Weaver Street Lawn, community members are invited to participate in the People’s Parade at 10:50 a.m. The parade will travel from Weaver Street Market to the Carrboro Town Hall for the main events.
“We’ll have our annual pie-eating contest, and then other activities with inflatables, face-painting, having the scrap exchange out and things we’ve done for a number of years,” Carrboro Recreation Administrator Charles Harrington said.
Live music performances will take place at the Carrboro Town Hall between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Carrboro’s celebration also includes the ninth annual reading of Frederick Douglass’ essay “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro.” Carrboro Mayor Damon Seils will lead the reading at Carrboro Century Center’s Century Hall at noon.
“(Reading the essay) started as a part of a program begun by Massachusetts Humanities, and they would encourage communities to come together to read his essay to provide a different perspective about what July Fourth means for Black Americans,” Harrington said. “It’s very important that we highlight that.”
Harrington said that after holding a smaller celebration last year due to COVID-19, the Town of Carrboro is returning to its larger annual Fourth of July event. Carrboro town staff from the recreation, parks, resources, fire, police and public works departments, as well as community volunteers, work together to plan and execute the event.
