With the rich history found in and around Loudoun, it’s no wonder that its citizenry is very patriotic. This coming weekend, that patriotism will be out in full force as several communities will celebrate Independence Day. The following is a listing by town of some of the activities happening throughout the county. If you know of any events we may have missed, feel free to add them in the Comments section.
Hillsboro
The Annual Independence Day Celebration at Hillsboro’s Old Stone School will take place at 6 p.m. July 2. The school is at 37098 Charles Town Pike in Hillsboro. Festivities include carnival games, a moon bounce, raffles from local businesses a bake sale, great food and a fireworks show once nighttime hits. Entertainment will be provided by the Polka Dots and the Blue Ridge Thunder Cloggers. Those in attendance will also get a sneak peak of Rabbit Run Theatre’s summer production of “All for the Union in Confederate Virginia.” For more information, log on to hillsborova.org.
Leesburg
Leesburg’s Independence Day Celebration lasts all day July 4, kicking off at 10 a.m. with the annual parade down King Street from Ida Lee Park to Catoctin Circle. The “Celebration in the Park” will begin at 6 p.m. at Ida Lee Park, 60 Ida Lee Drive, and include food vendors and live music. At 9:30 p.m., there will be a fireworks display over the park. For more information, log on to idalee.org
Lovettsville
The town will host its annual Independence Day celebration July 3, kicking off at 5:30 p.m. with a parade through town. Just like every year, there will be pony rides, games, food and music at the Lovettsville Community Center at 57 East Broad Way. The evening will end with a fireworks show.
Middleburg
Official Independence Day festivities in Middleburg get underway at 5:30 p.m. July 4, but if you’re looking for something to do earlier in the day, the community swimming pool will open at 11 a.m. Once evening rolls round, there will be music, games, contests and food at the community center at 300 West Washington Street. The Loudoun Hounds will have an inflatable fast pitch game and batting cage set up for you to test your baseball skills. End the evening with a fireworks show.
Purcellville
The annual Pride of Purcellville’s 4th of July Parade will begin at 12:30 p.m. It’s the town’s largest parade of the year, starting at Emerick Elementary School, proceeding up Orchard Avenue, turning right onto Main Street, then left onto Maple Avenue and ending at Loudoun Valley High School. From 6 to 10 p.m., there will be a celebration at Franklin Park, 17501 Franklin Park Drive. This will include entertainment, food and a fireworks show. There is a suggested $5 donation for admission.
Sterling
For an old-fashioned Independence Day, head to Claude Moore Park/Lanesville Heritage Area July 4 for the Ol’ Time 4th of July Celebration. The festivities take place from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and include pony and wagon rides, a pie eating contest, crafts, a reptile show and nature exhibits. There will also be live bands and food vendors. There is an entry fee of a $5 suggested donation, and Claude Moore Park is at 21544 Old Vestal’s Gap Road in Sterling.
What is with the Leesburg Police Department? I attended the Leesburg ARC run for Independence and the Leesburg 4th of July parade. In each case the LPD members were less than cordial, and made me feel as though I was “violating” some city rule by attending the event. Please send these public servants to some type of sensitivity or customer service training so that they can be “happy” in their positions of authority. Never did I once get a “good morning” or “happy holiday” from one of our members of the “protecting force” of Leesburg. Only stern, unsmiling faces, of very unhappy employees of the city/county. Come on, they want us, the citizens, to cooperate with the police, and help make this a better place to live, but they, the POLICE, have a negative attitude towards everyone who lives in Leesburg. Somehow they have got to “lighten up” and smile, give a little. I lived in New York City for 19 years before coming to Leesburg and the NYCPD knew how to make the citizens feel “part” of the solution, not Leesburg! Come on guys, smile, say hello, good morning, we are in this together! Instead of spending so much of our tax dollars going “boom” in the night, it might be better on spending a few bucks on teaching our “protectors” on be human and relating to the residence of the city they were hired to serve and protect!
Well this is what America is… land of the free and home of the brave. Our soldiers fight for all of us to have the right and ability to post free speech to a website like this. Our founding fathers I’m quite certain shake their heads in grief and sadness at the selfishness of the people and problems of this great Nation they started. God blessed this land and may one day the people reclaim it the way it should be.
We owe our ritual use of fireworks on the 4th of July to the War of 1812 and Frances Scott Key. We owe our diversity of peoples and opinions (as so noted by the 3 previous comments) to our independance.
The town of Leesburg displays some really good fireworks in my opinion.
Can’t wait to see how much trash is sitting outside my garage after the idiot neighbors blow off their fireworks. Ah, soon I’ll be getting rid of this townhome. It is like the freaking projects in here. At least I can say I am under 30 and my fiancee bought this on her own. Marriage = single family home and hopefully neighbors who clean up their messes….or don’t create one in the first place.
To the bully above.. This is why kids today act the way they do… Didn’t your mother teach you anything..If you can’t say something nice than don’t say anything. SERIOUSLY !!! God would not like this at all..
If you want to see a circus go to one of these firework displays. Some of the strangest looking rednecks in the world come down from the mountains to attend these things. Its quite a sight.
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