July 4th Celebration

July 4th Celebration 2025

Join us from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, July 4th for a day of fun activities and celebrations. The 12th Annual Community Reading of the Frederick Douglass Essay "The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro" will be held rain or shine and occur at the Carrboro Century Center from 2 - 4 p.m. Come early to get a good seat!

Activities begin at 9:30 a.m. at Weaver Street Market, followed by The People’s Parade from Weaver Street to Town Hall at 10:50 a.m. led by the Bulltown Strutters. The event continues at Carrboro Town Commons from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and then concludes at the Century Center for the Community Reading at 2 - 4 p.m.

Bring non-perishable items to help support PORCH. Donation bins available at Weaver Street Market and Carrboro Town Commons.

Event Parking

It’s easy to find free two-hour public parking in Carrboro, where you can access convenient parking at public lots all over downtown.

Please remember that Carr Mill Mall is for mall customers and is not a public parking lot. Leaving the mall premises after parking risks towing. This means that if you plan to start your day at Weaver Street Market and join the People's Parade to Town Hall, you should not park at any Carr Mill Mall lot (including the Weaver Street lot and the Harris Teeter lot).

When in doubt, always park in public lots, and enjoy a hassle-free and relaxed shopping and dining experience in downtown Carrboro.

9:30 - 10:50 a.m. - Activities at Weaver Street Market

Join us on the Weaver Street Market Lawn from 9:30 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. for July 4th activities! There will be a Bike/Wagon Decorating Contest along with a Costume Contest for kids!

9:30 a.m. – July 4th Activities Begin

9:45 a.m. – Designing & Decorating Booths (Patriotic Tattoos, Hat Making & Decorating, Patriotic Flag Coloring, Bike & Wagon Decorating)

10 -10:15 a.m. – Registration for Costume Contest

Categories:

Ages 1-5
Ages 6-10
Ages 11-15
Family/Group
Bike/Trike
Wagon/Scooter/Other

10:30 a.m. – Costume Contest Winners Announced

10:40 a.m. – Parade Assembly on E. Weaver Street

10:50 a.m. – The People’s Parade from Weaver Street Market to Carrboro Town Hall led by The Bulltown Strutters

10:50 a.m. - The People's Parade on Weaver Street

At around 10:50 a.m., the People's Parade will begin and travel from Weaver Street Market to Carrboro Town Commons! Dress up, bring your bikes and wagons, and join your fellow community members with a July 4th themed parade down Weaver!

11:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. - Events and Activities at Town Hall

Join us for the following during the main event from 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at Town Hall:

Senior Bingo (Town Council Chambers, Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.)
Seth The Wacky Wizard (Magic Show) in the Fun Zone (11:00am )
Baby Crawl Contest (12 p.m.)
Pie-Eating Contest (12:15 - 1 p.m.)
- 12:15 p.m. – Ages 6-8
- 12:30 p.m. – Ages 9-12
- 12:45 p.m. – Ages 13-17
- 1 p.m. – Ages 18 & Up

Note: Registration for the pie-eating contest is on-site at the Information Booth from 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Registration is first-come, first-served and a maximum of eight participants will be accepted. There is no registration fee, but a waiver must be signed by a parent or guardian.

Town of Carrboro Fire Department Interactive Smoke House
Face Painting w/ Paint Savvy
Carnival Games
Free Expression Chalk Boards
Toddler Square
Family Fun Photo Booth Experience
Bubble Artist
Stilt Walker
Food/Drink Vendors
Non-Profit Booths

Mayor Barbara Foushee will host our annual gathering of community members for the annual Community Reading of Frederick Douglass' essay, "The Meaning of the Fourth of July for the Negro." The reading will occur in the Carrboro Century Center's Century Hall at 2 p.m.

The reading will occur from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Carrboro Century Center, 100 N. Greensboro St. Introductory remarks will be provided by Mayor Foushee with the keynote address given by Mike Wiley, a North Carolina-based actor, playwright, and director of multiple works in documentary theatre. Wiley is an M.F.A. graduate and Distinguished Alumnus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is a former Lehman-Brady Visiting Joint Chair Professor at Duke University’s Center for Documentary Studies. Wiley’s overriding goal is expanding cultural awareness for audiences of all ages through dynamic portrayals based on pivotal moments in African-American history. The Town of Carrboro would like to thank the Chapel Hill-Carrboro branch of the NAACP and the Town of Chapel Hill for their support of this community program.

July 4th Celebration