Braintree Day 2017 and 4th of July Parade: What You Need to Know

BRAINTREE, MA — One of the biggest days on the town calendar is almost here.

This weekend, Braintree will celebrate the Fourth of July and town pride with the annual parade, Braintree Day celebration at the high school, and fireworks. Things will kick off Friday night with a country show at Braintree High School and the parade around midday Saturday, which will travel from the RMV parking lot to Hollis Elementary School. Afterward, the celebration moves to Braintree High School for games, music, fireworks, and more.

To help you get ready for the 4th of July parade and Braintree Day, here's what you need to know:

The Celebration Before The Celebration

Things kick off Friday evening with Liberty Bay Credit Union’s Red, White and Boom Birthday Bash celebrating Liberty Bay Credit Union’s 100th birthday!

The live country music concert will take place on Friday, June 30th from 6 - 8 p.m. at Braintree High School and will feature the Houston Bernard Band playing the latest country hits. BBQ fare and refreshments from Fasano’s Catering will be available for purchase.

Following the concert, the party continues with the Twas The Night Before Braintree Day at South Side Tavern. DJ Jay Lavey will provide the tunes and guests can receive a free aluminum cup with a $3.50 Coors Light purchase. The party runs until 1 a.m. Click here for more information.

The 4th Of July Parade

The Stars and Stripes Parade is scheduled to start at 11:45 a.m. in the Registry of Motor Vehicles/Bayshore Athletic Club parking lot located at 14 Plain St. The parade will head north on Hancock Street, continue onto Washington Street, and end at Hollis Elementary School.

For the best views of the performances and various acts, concert organizers recommend watching the parade at Braintree Town Hall and the Thayer Public Library.

Parade Road Closures

Closures begin at 11:30 a.m. The parade is expected to last 90 minutes at which point officials hope to reopen roads as quickly as safety allows:

• Plain Street from John Mahar Highway to Hancock Street
• Hancock Street from Plain Street to South Braintree Square
• Washington Street from South Braintree Square to Hollis Avenue.
• All streets intersecting with the closed portions of Hancock and Washington Streets within 300 feet of the intersection.

Braintree Day

The Braintree Day festivities start promptly at 2 p.m. with the food truck rodeo. Over 25 diverse food trucks from all over New England will be on hand to offer something for everyone’s appetite. Each truck will offer a variety of menu price options with three different levels that can fit into any family’s budget.

Here's a schedule of all the other events:

• 2 p.m. - Event Begins: DJ Ed Kelley MCs the event
• 2 - 5 p.m. - Pony Rides by Barrett's Horse Drawn Services and Home Run Derby by Life Community Church
• 2 - 6 p.m. - Animal Craze Petting Zoo, fun faces with a twist face painting, all hands drumming interactive drum circle, tarot card and palm readings, Macaroni Kid Weymouth and the Kindness Rocks Project, and roaming raceway and railroad
• 2 - 8 p.m. - Fun Zone by Dave & Buster's, Busy Bee Jumpers Slip and Slides, inflatable obstacle courses, and dunk tank
• 2 - 10 p.m. - Temporary tattoos, balloon art, do it yourself classic crafts, face gems and hair feathers, Braintree Day T-Shirt Sales, and Boston Circus Guild stilt walkers and jugglers
• 3:30 - 5 p.m. - Aldous Collins Band
• 5 - 5:30 p.m. - Official welcome from Braintree Mayor Joe Sullivan
• 6 - 7:30 p.m. - The Eagles Experience
• 8 - 9:30 p.m. - Kristen Merlin

The Fireworks Extravaganza

American Thunder Fireworks will provide what is being promoted one of the largest and best fireworks displays south of Boston. The display goes off at 10 p.m.

In the event of rain, the fireworks will take place Sunday night at 9 p.m., with a DJ starting the night at 6 p.m.

Information in this article was provided by the Braintree 4th of July Committee

Image: File Photo