Town of Carrboro July 4th Celebration
04jul9:30 am4:00 pmTown of Carrboro July 4th Celebration

Event Details
Event Details
July 4th Celebration 2026
Join us from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 4th for a day of fun activities and celebrations. The 13th 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
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).
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!
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).
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.)
- Baby Crawl Contest (12 p.m. in the Carrboro Civic Club, located behind the Fire Department)
- 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.
- Face Painting w/ Paint Savvy
- Free Expression Chalk Boards
- Toddler Square (at Carrboro Civic Club, located behind the Fire Department)
- Family Fun Photo Booth Experience (TBD)
- Bubble Artist
- Stilt Walker
- Food/Drink Vendors
- Non-Profit Booths
11:15 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. – Live Music at Town Hall with Radio Revolver
Below are the performances scheduled for this year’s event:
Our emcee will be Aaron Keck of 97.9’s The Hill.
- 11:15 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. – Radio Revolver
2 – 4 p.m. – Annual Reading of Frederick Douglass’ Essay at Carrboro Century Center
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 Dr. Ajamu Dillahunt Holloway. A native of Southeast Raleigh, Dr. Ajamu Dillahunt-Holloway is an Assistant Professor of African American History and Public History at NC State University, specializing in twentieth-century African American history in the U.S. South, with a focus on labor, environmental justice, and the Black Freedom Struggle. He co-leads The Communiversity, a community-based archive preserving Black Workers for Justice records, and serves on several boards, including IFCO, the North Carolina Environmental Justice Network, Democracy North Carolina, and the City of Raleigh’s Historic Resources and Museums Advisory Board. He earned his Ph.D. in History from Michigan State University in 2023 and holds dual B.A. degrees in History and Political Science from North Carolina Central University.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.
Drone Show
The Town of Chapel Hill has traditionally held our community’s local fireworks display. For 2026, the fireworks will be replaced by a professionally produced drone show. For more information, please check their website at:
Time
Location
Carrboro Town Commons
301 West Main Street, Carrboro, NC 27510