The sense of community flies higher than usual during the Fourth of July festivities in Bristol, RI. We truly are all so proud to be considered Bristolians, but especially during the Fourth of July season. And yeah we have to deal with the crazy amounts of tourists, but it's honestly the best time of year. There's always something to do and it's just like Christmas in July! To be honest, living near Bristol is the main reason the Fourth of July is my favorite holiday. I have yet to miss a parade since I've been born, and we proudly present the oldest Fourth of July parade and celebration in the country! We bleed red white and blue proudly and love celebrating our country! Here are 5 reasons why Bristol, RI is the place to be this Fourth of July:

1. Little/Miss Fourth of July Pageant

Not only do we go as far as to mark our parade route (year round) with the red white and blue stripe lining the road. But we also have the coveted Little Miss/Miss Fourth of July pageant where hometown girls compete to represent the patriotism of our town in all of the Fourth of July festivities throughout the summer.

2. Summer Concert Series & Carnival

We also have the amazing Summer Concert series where any day leading up to the Fourth you can walk down to Independence Park (fitting right?) and listen to live music and enjoy some food and good company! And if live music isn't for you, you can walk down the street to the town common and enjoy the annual Fourth of July carnival. At the carnival, you can either ride the rides, play games or eat some good carnival food! There's always something to do at night leading up to the Fourth, and it's a great way to celebrate our country's freedom!

3. The Drum & Bugle Corp.

And if you love the sound of the collegiate marching bands, we even have the Drum & Bugle Corp. competitions. Marching bands come from all over to perform in our parade and come down weeks in advance. Which makes it perfect to have a competition of all the amazing bands prior to the actual parade. Not only is it amazing to hear the drums and horns, but they always perform to the highest standards each and every year. It's really an amazing sight to see, and hearing them compete truly gets you excited to watch them perform in the parade!

4. July 3rd

The Third of July is almost as great as the Fourth because of one thing...the fireworks! Bristol arguably puts on one of the best firework shows on the third every year! And every year they seem to get better and better! What else says Happy Fourth of July other than a good firework show? I mean come on!

5. The Parade

And of course, who can forget the parade?! It's the oldest Fourth of July parade in the country, and we hold it to the highest of standards. We love our little town, and the parade is truly what brings everyone together to celebrate our country. Whether you just walk the parade route with friends or camp out the night before for that perfect seat, the parade is a sight everyone needs to see at least once. The colors, music, atmosphere... it's something you can't even explain.

People come from all around the country to see how we celebrate our beautiful country, and return year after year...because it is arguably one of the best ways to celebrate the Fourth of July (Completely unbiased..)! It's honestly the best time in little 02809, and a tradition that I'm so proud to be able to witness and be a part of each and every year!