Here's how you can celebrate the Fourth of July in South Sound

The Fourth of July landed in the middle of the work week this year, but there are plenty of opportunities to commemorate the holiday near home starting on Tuesday and happening through the weekend. Here are a few local celebrations taking place:

• Lacey Fireworks Spectacular and Freedom Concert, July 3: Lacey is continuing its long-standing tradition of celebrating the fourth on the 3rd. On-site parking lots will open at 3 p.m. and admission is free. The celebration will feature food vendors, a trampoline show and bounce houses - and that’s not even the half of it. Later in the evening, there will be a live music performance by country music artists The Olson Bros Band starting at 5 p.m. and a fireworks show at 10 p.m.

• Joint Base Lewis-McChord Freedom Fest, July 3 & 4: Starting at 1 p.m. Tuesday, JBLM will host a festive event for Department of Defense ID card holders and their guests. There will be a car show, carnival rides, fair food and more. At 11 a.m. the next day, the celebration opens to the public, offering rides, games, entertainment, fireworks and a performance by country music artist David Lee Murphy. For directions and more information, visit http://www.jblmmwr.com/freedomfest/.

• Littlerock Saloon 4th of July Parade, July 4: Six years ago, the owners of Littlerock Saloon bought the bar and moved up from Los Angeles. They then sent out an open invitation to the community to take part in an Independence Day parade, and the whole town showed up. They have been hosting the parade every year since. Anyone is welcome to join in on the fun (with the exception of loud motor vehicles) -- just follow the old fire engine. The parade begins at 6 p.m.

• Tumwater’s Independence Day Parade, Fun Run, Festival and Fireworks, July 4: Tumwater offers a steady stream of community fun on Wednesday. At the Tumwater Valley Golf Course, there will be a four-mile fun run/walk at 9 a.m. Then at 11 a.m., Tumwater will host its 31st annual Independence Day Parade. The theme this year is “Paint me Patriotic.” Starting at 6 p.m., Tumwater Valley Golf Course driving range will be home to a festival. and a fireworks show begins at 10:15 p.m. Admission for the parade, festival and fireworks show is free. To register for the fun run, visit https://apm.activecommunities.com/tumwaterparksandrec.
  
  

• July 4th Summerfest in Centralia, July 4: Centralia’s Summerfest begins at 7 a.m. with a fun run/walk, free pancake breakfast at Fort Borst Park, hayrides and more. The annual Summerfest parade takes place downtown about 4 p.m. To view a full schedule of events and locations, visit http://www.cityofcentralia.com/page.asp?NavID=579.

• South Sound BBQ Festival, July 7: What better way to end your Fourth of July celebration than with more food? Opening at 11 a.m. at Huntamer Park in Lacey, the South Sound BBQ Festival will feature a professional cook-off, outdoor food and non-food vendors and live entertainment. Parking and admission are free. For more information, visit http://southsoundbbqfestival.com/.
  
  

This story was originally published June 29, 2018 at 5:29 PM.