With the hanging of American flags around the city, things are warming up for tonight's Celebrate Lancaster!, an early Fourth of July event.
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Today flags adorned lightposts on the first blocks of King and Queen streets, a patriotic prelude to the performances and fireworks that will kick off in Binns Park tonight at 7:30.
The event will open with an urban arts showcase by students in Heads Up Lancaster.
"We're doing a montage of a lot of our programs," said Justin Rule, executive director.
Local elementary and middle school students will perform spoken poetry "from the hearts of youth," as well as capoeira — an Afro-Brazilian martial art — and hip hop and break dancing.
While some dances will be set to patriotic tunes and the young people will wear mostly red, white and blue clothing, Rule said the performance addresses freedom and the Fourth of July in a non-traditional way.
"The underlying thing is celebrating the independent expression of our youth, so we're kind of weaving it into (Independence Day) that way," he said.
There is a 40 percent chance of a brief shower or thunderstorm tonight, according to Millersville University meteorologist Eric Horst, but the show will be held rain or shine.
The Lancaster Symphony Orchestra will perform a different kind of montage at 8:30 in the park, located in the second block of North Queen Street.
Musicians will play patriotic and popular pieces from "Liberty For All" to "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," as well as soul and folk music, traditional marches and narrated pieces.
A fireworks finale will blast off at 10 p.m.
In Marietta, the Marietta Carnival continues to entertain visitors.
The first two nights of the carnival drew a bigger-than-average crowd, said Charles Shireman, president of Marietta Carnival Association Inc. He said he hopes to see the trend continue during the remaining two nights.
Saturday's temperatures look to cooperate, Horst said, settling in the low to mid-80s with only a slight risk of an isolated shower, so Marietta's 11 p.m. fireworks display should not be interrupted.
Also, at dusk on Saturday, a fireworks show will light up the sky over Rockvale Outlets on Route 30 East. The Lampeter Strasburg Community Band will perform in the vicinity of the Restoration Hardware store.
Independence Day celebrations will continue until July 11, ending with Columbia's 4th of July Celebration, a five-night show of music and lights that will be held nightly from 6 to 10, July 7 to 11.
It's sponsored by and held at the Columbia Consolidated Fire Company, 10th and Mifflin streets, Columbia.
It will feature a special-effects show with a live band and fireworks on Friday, July 10, at 9 p.m., and a 2,778-shell fireworks display set to patriotic music on Saturday, July 10, at 10:15 p.m.
Staff writer Katy Hopkins can be reached at khopkins@LNPnews.com or 481-6028.
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