Bath is closing in on a four-day community celebration that’s entering its 50th year.
Bath Heritage Days will launch with July 4 festivities, wrapping up on July 7.
“We have a really lovely calendar of events for the four-day festival that includes all the favorites and beloved traditions that people are used to experiencing in downtown Bath,” said Amanda McDaniel, director of Main Street Bath.
On July 4, the Bath Parks and Recreation Department operates the Fun Run and 5-mile road race starting at 7 a.m. at City Hall on Front Street, followed by the Heritage Days Independence Day parade at 10 a.m.
Smokey’s Greater Show Carnival and Games will set up shop on Commercial Street daily with around a dozen local food trucks, including Pinky D’s Poutine and Schutty’s Seafood, parked at Waterfront Park. A beer garden is open around the same time as the carnival.
Meanwhile, Library Park will host a Strawberry Shortcake Social from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on July 4.
The Independence Day fireworks will be launched at 9:15 p.m. over the Kennebec River, with a chance to view them from many vantage points.
Friday, July 5, is Kids’ Day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. with free activities at Library Park, including crafts like painting and bedazzling. Activities from the Bath Area YMCA will feature cornhole, along with lawn games at Library Park courtesy of the nonprofit Bath at Play.
Vern Oliveira, 6, lays atop a handtub from Newburyport, Massachusetts, after their team, The Protection #1, placed first in class A of the firemen’s muster at last year’s Bath Heritage Days. The fire apparatus was built in 1865. Derek Davis / Portland Press Herald
McDaniel said that the 175th Firemen’s Muster will be held on July 6 behind the Patten Free Library on Front Street from noon to 3 p.m. Bath was home to the first Firemen’s Muster in 1849.
New this year, there will be 10 additional art vendors setting up shop for Art in the Park on July 6 and 7.
Friends of the Patten Free Library Book Sale is also slated for July 6 and 7, drawing in visitors eager to read for their next summer book list between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
For the final day on July 7, the Front Street Shuffle has been renamed to the Bill King Front Street Shuffle Car Show as of last year due to the recent passing of Bill King.
Live music performances are scheduled three times daily during the event at 2, 5 and 8 p.m. at the Waterfront Main Stage. Performers include Queen Bee, Papa Time & The Whiskey Throttle Band, Tony Dancer’s International Maine, Breakin’ Strings, Smith Collaboration, Back Woods Road Band, and many others available on Main Street Bath’s website.
More information is available at visitbath.com.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Modify your screen name
Join the Conversation
Please sign into your Press Herald account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe. Questions? Please see our FAQs.