Communities around the Valley to celebrate America’s 250th birthday

By the MVI

Pull up a lawn chair, it’s time to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary and watch some fireworks.

Many community celebrations are planned around the Mon Valley to not only celebrate the Fourth of July and America’s semiquincentennial, but to also bring neighbors together for music, entertainment, food and good old fashioned fun. Here’s a look at events in and around the Valley:

Belle Vernon Borough

Belle Vernon Borough invites residents and visitors to celebrate America’s 250th Birthday during the free “Let Freedom Ring in Belle Vernon” celebration on July 3 and 4 at the Veterans Memorial Park, 139 Main St. Belle Vernon. The event is part of the nationwide America250 observance and is organized by Council Vice President Denise Stasko and community volunteer Melanie Stringhill Patterson.

Schedule: Friday, July 3: Community Movie Night featuring “The Sandlot.” Activities begin at 8:30 p.m.; movie starts at dusk. Complimentary popcorn. Bring lawn chairs and blankets.

Rain location: Belle Vernon Social Hall.

From noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, July 4: Registration for children’s contests begins at 11:30 a.m. Opening Ceremony starts at noon, followed by a decorated bike and wagon parade, Little Firecracker Contest (ages G-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12), sack races, twist contest, patriotic music, hot dogs and freeze pops.

At 2 p.m., Belle Vernon will join communities across America in the official America250 “Let Freedom Ring” observance by ringing bells 13 times in honor of the original 13 colonies and 250 years of American freedom.

Rain Plans: July 3 moves to the Belle Vernon Social Hall if needed. If July 4 is postponed because of weather, the celebration will be held Sunday, July 5.

Bentleyville

Bentleyville’s annual Independence Day celebration will start at noon July 4 at Richardson Park, 315 Frye Ave., Bentleyville.

The event will feature children’s activities, a foam party, dunk tank. food vendors and crafters from noon to 8 p.m.

A classic car show will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. The first 100 cars receive dash plaques and trophies will be awarded. No off-road vehicles.

There will be live music between 4 and 8 p.m., right up until the fireworks, featuring The Valley Three Band, Tyler Phillips and Ollie Braeburn

Kennywood Park, West Mifflin

Celebrate America’s 250th birthday with a Fourth of July fireworks spectacular, special patriotic activities, and high-energy entertainment.

Then, watch as 300 drones come together to illuminate the night sky with spectacular Drone Shows every Saturday and Sunday from July 11 – 26.

Kennywood is located at 4800 Kennywood Blvd., West Mifflin.

Celebration set in McKeesport

The community is invited to celebrate the Fourth of July in Renziehausen Park with the a concert by Pure Gold 7 p.m. July 4.

The performance is part of the Summer Concert Series at the Lions Bandshell in Renziehausen Park, sponsored by the McKeesport Lions Club, Allegheny Regional Asset District, Mayor Mike Cherepko and the City of McKeesport. Holiday fireworks take place after dark.

Admission and parking are free.

Monongahela Area Chamber of Commerce Fourth of July and Railroad Street Fair

The Monongahela Area Chamber of Commerce will host the annual Monongahela Fourth of July Celebration and Fireworks display at the Monongahela Aquatorium on July 4.

Gates open at 6 p.m. with food trucks, vendors and games. The fireworks finale is set for 9:30 p.m.

Rain date is July 5. Community members are encouraged to donate to the MACC Fireworks Fund.

Donations can be made at the Chamber office or online at tinyurl.com/MACC-Fireworks- Fund.

Coinciding with the chamber celebration at the Noble J. Dick Aquatorium will be the 8thAnnual Railroad Street Fair in downtown Monongahela, sponsored by My Main St., and the Monongahela Main Street Program.

The festival will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. July 4 on Third Street.

The event will feature art demonstrations/ live mural paintings, musicians and performers, and The Declaration of Independence will be read aloud at 6 p.m.

City of Pittsburgh

After being voted USA TODAY’s No. 1 Fourth of July Celebration in the country last month, the City of Pittsburgh’s iconic Independence Day Celebration will return to Point State Park, Downtown, North Shore and Mt. Washington on July 4.

The celebration will feature local food vendors, family- friendly activities, veterans wellness space, stages with entertainment, hotair balloon and a vendor marketplace. Attendees will be able to see the festivities from above with the “Piatt Companies Salute to Service Wheel,” a temporary Ferris wheel that will run from July 1-5 on the North Shore. (The Ferris wheel was invented by a Pittsburgher, George Washington Gale Ferris Jr.)

Tickets are on sale now and 50% of all proceeds will be donated to the Veterans Leadership Program.

The BNY Main Stage at Point State Park will also be rocking with entertainment starting at 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 4. The Plain White T’s will be headlining the BNY Main Stage at 8 p.m.

Shows are free and open to the public.

As part of the National Flag Foundation’s Light to Unite, the city’s skyscrapers will be illuminated in red, white and blue across Downtown at 9 p.m. This nationally organized tribute will light up buildings, landmarks and streets across the country.

Sponsored by the Richard King Mellon Foundation, 2026’s fireworks spectacular is set to be the city’s largest fireworks display in decades.

For the first time, there will be a drone performance immediately before the fireworks start. The fireworks show will utilize six barges on all three rivers as well as some rooftops. Fireworks will begin at 9:35 p.m. on July 4.

Additional information about the Independence Day Celebration can be found at https://www.pittsburghpa. gov/Recreation-Events/Special- Events/Pittsburghs-4thof- July-2026

Vinoski Winery Independence Day kickoff Vinoski Winery’s Independence Day Kickoff is set for July 3. The event at the Rostraver Township castle property will feature live music by Smells Like the 90s, food and fireworks.

Gates open at 3 p.m., at which time there is a $20 charitable parking fee, with 100% of proceeds to benefit Zacharys Mission, https:// zacharysmission.org/ https:// zacharysmission.org/ Music starts at 6 p.m. Firework begin at 9:30 p.m. For more details, go to vinoskiwinery. com.

West Newton

West Newton will celebrate on Independence day with a patriotic parade and time capsule ceremony starting at 9 a.m. Lineup starts at 8 a.m. at the West Newton Elementary School. The parade will travel through town, across the bridge and end at the West Newton Cemetery Grove where the ceremony for the opening of the 50-year time capsule will be held.