What are your plans for Independence Day? Celebrations in our area begin Tuesday, July 3, and continue through the 4th, offering many ways to enjoy fun and, of course, fireworks. More than 20,000 people are expected at the area’s biggest celebration, Tuesday night at Lowe’s YMCA in Mooresville. Apart from Independence Day, there’s also plenty going on play “Garden Party” continues its run at Warehouse Performing Arts Center in Cornelius. And there’s live music at local venues including Summit Coffee and Flatiron Kitchen. Read on for the full schedule.

MONDAY, JULY 2

First Monday Senior Birthday Bash – 11:30 a.m.- North Meck Senior Center, 16601 Old Statesville Road, Huntersville. – Birthday Bash Pot Luck Lunch for adults 55 and older. Bring a dish to share for the pot-luck luncheon. Those with the birthday of the month will be honored. Free. Please pre-register by calling 704-875-1270.

TUESDAY, JULY 3

Whitewater Center July 4th festival, 4 p.m., U.S. National Whitewater Center, 820 Hawfield Road, Charlotte – Live music and fireworks at the center Tuesday and Wednesday. Music begins at 4 p.m. each day. Lineup Tuesday includes 4 p.m., Sol Driven Train; 6 p.m. Eric Lindell; 8 p.m. Tab Benoit. VIP Passes $75, with viewing from the River Center Terrace. Dinner and access to a private bar and restroom is also included. More information http://usnwc.org/

Lowe’s YMCA celebration, 4-10 p.m. Lowe’s YMCA, 170 Joe V. Knox Ave., Mooresville – Summer celebration featuring fireworks and family fun. Event features music, live performances, food and business vendors, inflatables, and kids games. The event will conclude with a fireworks show. VIP parking is $50 per car. For reserved parking, contact Bart Cape at (704) 716-4004 or bart.cape@ymcacharlotte.org. For more information, visit www.ymcacharlotte.org/july3.

Theater: Garden Party, 7 p.m. Warehouse Performing Arts Center, 9216-A Westmoreland Road, Cornelius. – Comic play weaving together words from writers including Mark Twain, George Bernard Shaw, John Milton and old nursery rhymes. Tickets are $15 for general admission and $10 for students, seniors, and groups of 8 or more. Reservations can be made by emailing tickets@warehousepac.com or by calling the box office at 704-619-0429.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 4

July 4th Holiday – Government offices, banks, post offices all closed. Trash collection and recycling on a regular schedule in Davidson and Cornelius. See the Davidson holiday schedule and the Town of Cornelius holiday trash schedule.

July 4th at Birkdale Village, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Birkdale Village, Birkdale Commons Parkway, off Sam Furr Road, Huntersville – July 4th celebration with bike decorating, arts and crafts, face painting, a bounce house and more. At 11:45 a.m., line up for the parade, which begins at noon outside Banana Republic. Huntersville Mayor Jill Swain will give awards for best decorated bike, and at 12:15 p.m. watch a Fire Department water fight. Birkdale Commons Parkway will be closed from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday for the celebration.

Jetton Cove July 4th Parade and Celebration, 10:30 a.m., Cornelius Fire Department Station 2, 19230 Charlestowne Lane, off Jetton Road, Cornelius – Residents of Jetton Cove and St. Phillip Square invite community members to celebrate July 4 with their neighbors. Flag raising ceremony, Pledge of Allegiance, and National Anthem at 10:30. Firefighters also will give tours of the station. Around 11:30, a neighborhood parade will leave from the fire station, led by a fire engine, and will travel to the pool for a barbecue, games, prizes and an ice cream truck.

Pool Party at Levine Jewish Community Center, noon to 3 p.m., Levine Jewish Community Center, 5007 Providence Road, South Charlotte – Start the 4th of July fun before dark, with a pool party at the Levine Jewish Community Center, at the center’s Outdoor Aquatics Complex. The party runs from noon to 3 p.m. and will include a DJ, games and contests, pool activities and arts and crafts.

Shriner’s Parade, 2:30 p.m., Uptown Charlotte – Shriners International, the philanthropic organization behind Shriners Hospitals for Children, will march in Uptown Charlotte at 2:30 p.m. July 4. The parade will include marching bands and clowns, as well as members of the international fraternity.

Whitewater Center July 4th festival, 4 p.m., U.S. National Whitewater Center, 820 Hawfield Road, Charlotte – Live music and fireworks at the center Tuesday and Wednesday. Music begins at 4 p.m. each day. Lineup Wednesday: 4 p.m., Have Gun Will Travel; 6 p.m., Moreland & Arbuckle; 8 p.m., These United States. VIP Passes $75, with viewing from the River Center Terrace. Dinner and access to a private bar and restroom is also included. More information http://usnwc.org/

Memorial Stadium July 4 Spectacular, 6-9 p.m., Memorial Stadium, 310 N. Kings Drive, Charlotte – Gates open 5:30, with family activities 6-9 p.m., followed by Charlotte’s largest fireworks display at 9:30 p.m. Activities include a club house moon bounce, rat race, a 22-foot super slide, 3-legged race, sack race, tug-o-war, mascot race and a history tent with President memory games, puzzles, coloring sheets and a marble guessing game. Contests for best dressed Uncle Sam, with prizes. Food vendors – no outside food or drink allowed. Info: www.findyourcenter.com

Theater: Garden Party, Theater: Garden Party, 7 p.m., Warehouse Performing Arts Center, 9216-A Westmoreland Road, Cornelius. – Comic play weaving together words from writers including Mark Twain, George Bernard Shaw, John Milton and old nursery rhymes. Tickets are $15 for general admission and $10 for students, seniors, and groups of 8 or more. Reservations can be made by emailing tickets@warehousepac.com or by calling the box office at 704-619-0429.

Baseball and fireworks, 7:05 p.m. CMC-NorthEast Stadium, Kannapolis – The Kannapolis Intimidators host Greensboro Grasshoppers. Fireworks will follow the game. Reserved-level seats are $8, and general admission tickets are $6 in advance. Call the F&M Bank Box Office at 704-932-3267 or go to www.IntimidatorsBaseball.com.

Live music at Flatiron Kitchen, 8-10 p.m., Flatiron Kitchen + Taphouse, 215 S. Main St., Davidson – Live music with Jeff Brown. Info: 704-237-3246.

THURSDAY, JULY 5

PFLAG meeting, 7-9 p.m. Room 201, Davidson College Presbyterian Church. Parents, Friends, and Families of Lesbians and Gays of Davidson and Cornelius meets on the first Thursday of each month in Room 201.

Theater: Garden Party, 8 p.m., Warehouse Performing Arts Center, 9216-A Westmoreland Road, Cornelius. – Comic play weaving together words from writers including Mark Twain, George Bernard Shaw, John Milton and old nursery rhymes. Tickets are $15 for general admission and $10 for students, seniors, and groups of 8 or more. Reservations can be made by emailing tickets@warehousepac.com or by calling the box office at 704-619-0429.

Live music at Summit Coffee, 8-11 p.m., Summit Coffee, 128 S. Main St., Davidson – Live music with Covering Carolina. Free. Information: 704-895-9090 or visit www.summitcoffee.com.

FRIDAY, JULY 6

Live music at Campania, 6:30-9 p.m., Campania Cafe, 416 S. Main St., Davidson – Live music on the front porch (weather permitting) every Friday. This week: Clyde Derberry. Info: 704-987-5111 or www.campaniacafe.com

Chocolate and beer tasting, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Davidson Beverage Co., 442 South Main St., Suite 100, Davidson. – Joey and Sylvia Schnople from Jamu Chocolates will discuss a brief history of chocolate and chocolate making, plus a pairing of six selected beers and hand crafted chocolates. $15. For more information, call John Baker at 704-255-6232. More info in our June 28 Dining Notes column.

Live music at Summit Coffee, 8-11 p.m., Summit Coffee, 128 S. Main St., Davidson – Live music Fountain Penn. Free. Information: 704-895-9090 or visit www.summitcoffee.com.

SATURDAY, JULY 7

Davidson Farmer’s Market, 8 a.m.-noon, downtown Davidson, off Main Street next to Town Hall – The weekly Davidson Farmer’s Market. Local farmers and vendors selling meats, produce, dairy products, baked goods, and other items. Runs every Saturday through November. Information: Visit www.davidsonfarmersmarket.org. DavidsonNews.net and CorneliusNews.net are pleased to be media partners of the Davidson Farmer’s Market.

Document shredding event, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Habitat for Humanity ReStores, 20414 N. Main St., Cornelius, and 121 Norman Station Blvd., Mooresville – Shred truck will be available for you to shred confidential documents. Please limit shredding amount to 10 boxes. If you have more boxes, please contact Shred South at 704-838-6148. No need to remove staples, paper clips or rubber bands. For more information, call Mary Gibbs at 704-896-8957, ext. 203 or email mary@ourtownshabitat.org.

Shark dissection, 11 a.m. Discovery Place, 301 N. Tryon St., Charlotte. – Observe a shark dissection led by a Discovery Place educator. Call 704-372-6261, ext. 300, or visit www.discoveryplace.org.

Westmoreland Athletic Complex grand opening, 1 p.m. 8430 Westmoreland Road, Cornelius – Grand opening of the Westmoreland Athletic Complex, a youth baseball and softball tournament facility that includes four lighted fields, a concession building with restrooms, a maintenance building and a colorful playground structure. For more information, call the Cornelius PARC Department at 704-892-6031, ext. 160 or visit www.cornelius.org/parc.

Give feedback on street safety and design, 8 a.m.-noon, at Davidson Farmer’s Market, Downtown Davidson, off Main Street next to Town Hall – Davidson Design for Life (DD4L) will be hosting a booth at the Davidson Farmer’s Market to distribute information on street safety and healthy street design. For more information, see the initiative’s webpage. See also our June 28 news item, “Davidson survey asks: What makes a healthy street?”

Live music at Summit Coffee, 8-11 p.m., Summit Coffee, 128 S. Main St., Davidson – Live music with Billy Jones & The Pocket. Free. Information: 704-895-9090 or visit www.summitcoffee.com.

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