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The Digest
Fireworks in fourteen towns this weekend
LancasterOnline counted more than a dozen Independence Day fireworks shows across Lancaster County this weekend, from Quarryville up to Columbia. Penn Medicine Park kicks it off Friday with the Lancaster Symphony playing at 8:45 PM and fireworks at 10 PM (free, no ticket). The Barn at Paradise Station in Ronks also has fireworks Friday. Columbia's America 250 Parade Friday night leads into Saturday's fireworks at Glatfelter Field.
Saturday is the main event. Nine shows: Lititz Springs Park ($16-$20), Ephrata Lincoln Heights (free), Marietta War Memorial (free), Stone Gables Estate ($30/car), New Holland Community Park (free, with the New Holland Band), Columbia Glatfelter Field (free), Buck Motorsports($18/$10, plus demo derby), Cherry Crest Adventure Farm ($25.95-$32.95, sweet summer festival), and The Junction Center in Manheim (Cars and Kaboom).
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What's happening
Friday
America 250 Independence Day Celebration at Penn Medicine Park | Full evening at Penn Medicine Park: fan fest, LSO concert, hot dog eating contest, hypnosis show, capped by fireworks at 10 PM. | 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM | Penn Medicine Park, 650 N. Prince St., Lancaster | Free
Celebrate America at The Barn at Paradise Station | Food trucks, games, face paint, New Holland Band + Perfect Harmony + Celebrate America Singers, fireworks after dark. | 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM | The Barn at Paradise Station, 312 Paradise Ln., Ronks | Free admission ($25 parking)
Columbia America 250 Independence Day Parade | Community parade through Columbia in advance of Saturday's fireworks. | 6:00 PM | Starts at Lebanon Evangelical Free Church, Shepherd St., Columbia | Free
Celebrate America250 at Historic Rock Ford | Daylong open house at the 18th-century General Edward Hand estate marking America's 250th. | 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM | Historic Rock Ford, 881 Rockford Rd., Lancaster | Free
Movie Night: National Treasure at Historic Rock Ford | Outdoor screening of National Treasure on the Rock Ford grounds under the stars. Bring a chair or blanket; concessions on site. | 8:30 PM – 10:30 PM | Historic Rock Ford, 881 Rockford Rd., Lancaster | Free
The Exchange Fireworks Watch Party | Rooftop-style watch party for the Penn Medicine Park fireworks. | 8:00 PM – 12:00 AM | The Exchange, 25 S. Queen St., Lancaster | Free
First Friday: Stars, Stripes & Pipes | 30-minute patriotic organ recital by Ken Krause at First Reformed. | 8:00 PM – 8:30 PM | First Reformed Church, 40 E. Orange St., Lancaster | Free
First Friday: Revolutionary War History Lecture | America 250 lecture at Holy Trinity Lutheran. | 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM | Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 31 S. Duke St., Lancaster | Free
First Friday: "250 on King" at Demuth Museum | America 250 exhibition at the Demuth Museum. | 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM | Demuth Museum, 120 E. King St., Lancaster | Free
First Friday: Four New Exhibitions at Lancaster Art Vault | Opening night for four new shows at Lancaster Art Vault. | 10:00 AM – 8:30 PM | Lancaster Art Vault, 100 N. Queen St., Lancaster | Free
Green Dragon Farmers Market | Weekly indoor/outdoor market with 400+ stands (farmers, food, antiques). | 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM | Green Dragon Farmers Market, 955 N. State St., Ephrata | Free admission
Tech Lancaster Open Coffee Club | Weekly open coffee meet-up for local tech folks. | 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM | Mean Cup, 398 Harrisburg Ave. #200, Lancaster | Free
Saturday
Lititz Springs Park 4th of July Celebration | County's oldest community 4th, full day of programming capped with 9:30 PM fireworks. | 7:00 AM – 9:30 PM | Lititz Springs Park, 24 N. Broad St., Lititz | $16 presale / $20 gate ($6 kids)
Ephrata Firecracker 5-Mile Run | Annual community 5-mile run through Ephrata. | 8:00 AM start | Ephrata Senior High School, 803 Oak Blvd., Ephrata | Registration required (pretzelcitysports.com)
Ephrata July 4th Community Fun Night and Fireworks | Music, food, family activities, then fireworks after dark. | 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM | Lincoln Heights Outdoor Recreation Area, 301 Crescent Ave., Ephrata | Free
Marietta War Memorial Park Fireworks | Mini carnival, food trucks, games, juggler, fireworks at 9:15 PM. | 5:00 PM – 9:15 PM | War Memorial Park, 344 E. Walnut St., Marietta | Free (donations welcome)
Stone Gables Estate 4th of July Celebration | Train rides, pony rides, petting zoo, food trucks, fireworks at Star Barn Village. | 3:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Stone Gables Estate, 1160 N. Market St., Elizabethtown | $30 per car (up to 8)
New Holland Community Park Fireworks | New Holland Band plays 7 PM, fireworks after dark. Food trucks on site. | 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM | New Holland Community Park, 400 E. Jackson St., New Holland | Free
Columbia 300 / America 250 Fireworks | Columbia's combined 300th anniversary + America 250 event with PopScotch playing and free food. | 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Glatfelter Memorial Field, 1239 Columbia Ave., Columbia | Free
Buck Motorsports Demolition Derby + Fireworks | Full demolition derby followed by fireworks. | 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM | Buck Motorsports Park, 900 Lancaster Pike, Quarryville | $18 adults / $10 kids
Cherry Crest Sweet Summer Festival + Fireworks | Full day of Cherry Crest activities capped by fireworks at 9:30 PM. | 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM | Cherry Crest Adventure Farm, 150 Cherry Hill Rd., Ronks | $25.95 online / $32.95 gate
Fireworks at The Junction Center | Cars and Kaboom car show plus fireworks after dark. | Fireworks at dark | The Junction Center, 1875 Junction Rd., Manheim | Free
Saturday Freethought Conversations | Weekly Lancaster Freethought Society open discussion. | 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM | Lancaster Freethought Society meetup, Lancaster | Free
National Watch and Clock Museum | Standing museum open all day for anyone escaping the heat. | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM | National Watch and Clock Museum, 514 Poplar St., Columbia | $15 adult / $12 senior
Sunday
"Let the Oppressed Go Free: Abolitionism in Revolutionary Times" | Historic Rock Ford lecture in the America 250 series. | 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM | Historic Rock Ford, 881 Rockford Rd., Lancaster | See Rock Ford for pricing
Lancaster Bicycle Club Sunday Rides | Two group rides Sunday (8 AM long, 1 PM short). Meet at posted trailheads. | 8:00 AM & 1:00 PM | Multiple Lancaster County trailheads (see lancasterbicycleclub.org) | Free
Lancaster Freethought Society Neptune Diner Meetup | Sunday brunch meetup. | 11:00 AM | Neptune Diner, 924 N. Prince St., Lancaster | Cost of meal
Now Playing
West Side Story | Fulton's mainstage production of the Bernstein–Sondheim classic. Runs through July 12. | Fri 7:30 PM · Sat 2 PM & 7:30 PM · Sun 2 PM | Fulton Theatre, 12 N. Prince St., Lancaster | Tickets at thefulton.org
Mary Poppins | Dutch Apple's summer musical. Runs through August 8. | Fri 6 PM dinner / 7:30 PM show · Sat 11:30 AM lunch / 1 PM show, 6 PM dinner / 7:30 PM show · Sun 11:30 AM lunch / 1 PM show | Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre, 510 Centerville Rd., Lancaster | $78 dinner & show / $55 show only
Joshua | Sight & Sound's biblical epic. Runs through Dec. 31; closed Sun. | Fri 11 AM, 3 PM & 7 PM (see venue for Sat) | Sight & Sound Theatres, 300 Hartman Bridge Rd., Ronks | From $82 adult / $44 child
Live music
Friday
Lancaster Symphony Orchestra (America 250 Concert + Fireworks) | Orchestral / Patriotic | 8:45 PM (gates 5 PM) | Penn Medicine Park, 650 N. Prince St., Lancaster | Free
Jason Newsted & The Chophouse Band | Rock / Americana (first-ever U.S. headline tour) | 8:00 PM | Mickey's Black Box, 101 Rock Lititz Blvd., Lititz | From $47
Afroman | Hip-Hop | 8:00 PM | Phantom Power, 121 W. Frederick St., Millersville | $50 (21+)
SNACKTIME (with Paratopia) | Brass Funk / Soul | 7:30 PM | West Art, 816 Buchanan Ave., Lancaster | $25 GA / $12 student
WWJD Dead Tribute Band | Grateful Dead Tribute | 7:00 PM (doors) | Lititz Shirt Factory, 47 E. Center St., Lititz | General Admission
New Holland Band, Perfect Harmony & Celebrate America Singers | Patriotic / Community | 7:30 PM | The Barn at Paradise Station, 312 Paradise Ln., Ronks | Free (donations welcome)
Christopher West | Acoustic | 6:00 PM | Waltz Vineyards (Lampeter Corner), 1702 Lampeter Rd., Lancaster | Free (food/drink purchase)
Selman Brothers Band | Rock | 5:00 PM | Grandview Vineyard, 1489 Grandview Rd., Mount Joy | $8 cover
Carl Zeplin & Tim Gross Jazz Duo | Jazz | 6:00 PM | Proof, 30 N. Queen St. (Lower Level), Lancaster | Free (food/drink purchase)
Allie (musical duo) | Acoustic | 6:00 PM | Corner Coffee Shop / Smucker Village, 3526 Old Philadelphia Pike, Intercourse | Free (food/drink purchase)
Benjamin Wesley (pianist) | Piano | 6:00 PM | Covenant United Methodist Church, 110 N. Mulberry St., Lancaster | Free
Ken Krause (organist): Stars, Stripes & Pipes | Organ / Patriotic | 8:00 PM | First Reformed Church, 40 E. Orange St., Lancaster | Free
V-Ray (Jeff Coleman & Victoria Mowrer) | Acoustic | 5:00 PM | Urban Arts House, 322 W. Chestnut St., Lancaster | Free
Saturday
Bad Slice | Rock | 1:30 PM | Lititz Springs Park (Band Shell), 24 N. Broad St., Lititz | $16 presale / $20 gate
DeRose and the Dreadnoughts | Rock | 4:30 PM | Lititz Springs Park (Band Shell), 24 N. Broad St., Lititz | $16 presale / $20 gate
The Great American Soul Book (13-piece band) | Soul / R&B | 6:30 PM | Lititz Springs Park (Band Shell), 24 N. Broad St., Lititz | $16 presale / $20 gate
New Holland Band | Community Band | 7:00 PM | New Holland Community Park, 400 E. Jackson St., New Holland | Free
PopScotch | Rock / Pop | 6:00 PM | Glatfelter Memorial Field, 1239 Columbia Ave., Columbia | Free
Stephen Kissinger | Acoustic | 5:00 PM | Grandview Vineyard, 1489 Grandview Rd., Mount Joy | $8 cover
Tim Englerth | Acoustic | 3:00 PM | Corner Coffee Shop / Smucker Village, 3526 Old Philadelphia Pike, Intercourse | Free (food/drink purchase)
Ephrata Community Fun Night (live band) | Community | 5:30 PM | Ephrata Church of the Brethren, 201 Crescent Ave., Ephrata | Free
Sunday
Yonder Mountain String Band | Bluegrass (Long's Park Summer Music Series) | 7:30 PM | Long's Park Amphitheater, 1441 Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster | Free
Bluegrass Jam Session with Jordan Rast | Bluegrass | 2:00 PM | Tellus360, 24 E. King St., Lancaster | Free