The Charlotte Symphony entertained a big crowd at Bailey Road Park in Cornelius Saturday night, followed by a fireworks show. The symphony plays again Tuesday night at Village Park in Kannapolis. (Brenda Barger photo)

Click to visit our Events Calendar.

Fireworks lit up the sky after the Charlotte Symphony concert Saturday night at Bailey Road Park. (Brenda Barger photo)

Where will you celebrate Independence Day this year? Celebrations are taking place across the area on or before Thursday, July 4 – from events at local parks to Wednesday’s annual Lowe’s YMCA Summer Celebration and fireworks in Mooresville to  the U.S. National Whitewater Center’s two-day bash. Read below for a list of the celebrations, and check our Independence Day closings and service change list to stay up to date on revised schedules for the Fourth. Have a happy Fourth of July!

FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATIONS

Kannpolis Summer Entertainment Series: Charlotte Symphony Stars & Strips Salute (Tuesday, July 2, 7pm),  at the Village Park Amphitheater between West A and West C Streets off Dale Earnhardt Blvd. Mayhem two-time Female Rock Vocalist Jasmine Cain will begin the night with a pre-show concert beginning at 7 p.m.  The Charlotte Symphony will take the stage at 8:15 pm with fireworks at approximately 9:15 p.m.

US National Whitewater Center: Fourth of July Festival (July 3rd – 4th) at the USNWC will feature two consecutive days of games, live music, and incredible fireworks displays as the sun sets each evening.

7th Annual Lowe’s YMCA Summer Celebration (Wednesday, July 3, 4-10pm)  Free and open to all, the 7^th Annual YMCA July 3^rd Summer Celebration at the Lowe’s YMCA is presented by Valspar Paint and will feature family fun, music, food and business vendors, inflatables, and kids games. The event will conclude with the largest fireworks show in the Lake Norman area. Guests are encouraged to arrive early to get a good view of the show. More than 20,000 people are expected. The fireworks begin at 9:30. Info: 704-716-4000 or YMCACharlotte.org

Kannapolis Intimidators baseball and fireworks (Wednesday, July 3, 7:05pm), CMC Northeast Stadium, Kannapolis – The Intimidators take on the Augusta GreenJackets in the final game of a series, followed by fireworks.

Town of Huntersville: Fourth of July Celebration in Birkdale Village (Thursday, July 4, 10am – 1pm), including a raffle and drawing to support Huntersville Fire Department firefighter Jeff Reid’s bone marrow transplant.

Jetton Cove July 4th Celebration: The Jetton Cove neighborhood will hold its annual 4th of July celebration at the Cornelius–Lemley Fire Station on Charles Towne Lane. A tour of the station begins at 10:30am, and the celebration begins at 11am.

A scene from the 2010 Davidson Independence Day parade (DavidsonNews.net file photo)

Town of Davidson: Independence Day Parade & Concert on the Green (Thursday, July 4, 5:15pm – 9pm); Enjoy the Town of Davidson Independence Day celebration, with an old-fashioned parade. You’re invited to join in, with decorated bicycles or wagons, patriotically attired kids, flags and anything else that says July 4th. Concert on the Green featuring “The New Familiars” starts after the parade at 6pm on The Green.

City of Charlotte: The Novant Health July 4th Spectacular at Memorial Stadium (Thursday, July 4, 6pm – 10pm) will celebrate Independence Day with Charlotte’s largest fireworks display and alcohol-free family fun in Center City, starting at 6pm. Gates open at 5:30pm with the Swingin’ Richards playing live music and other activities taking place at Memorial Stadium from 6-9pm and a 9:30pm fireworks show. Seating is available on both the lawn and in half of the stadium, with a maximum capacity of 15,000 people.

And don’t forget the annual fireworks display at dusk July 4, from the Peninsula Club on Lake Norman.

NEW CALENDAR, MORE EVENTS

See more of this week’s events in our expanded Events Calendar. We’re continuing to add new features and make it easier to find events on a given day. Choose between a calendar view, or a list of events, and sort by category in the drop down menu in the right sidebar.

We’ll be adding more capabilities in the coming days. Contact our editor at editor@davidsonnews.net for more information, and stay tuned for more updates.

See our calendar: http://davidsonnews.net/guide/events/