06/08/2026
July 4 Festivities: Saturday, July 4, 2026 - “Celebrating USA’s 250th!”
For more information, please visit https://belairjuly4.org. If there are any questions, please contact [email protected], or call 410-879-4245.
Flag-Raising Ceremonies:
6:45 am: Flag-Raising Ceremony, featuring Disabled American Veterans, Chapter 30; American Legion Post #39 and Sgt. Alfred B. Hilton Memorial American Legion Post #55 — at Bel Air Town Hall on Hickory Avenue at Lee Way. Reveille will be played and the National Anthem will be sung by Siena Bauer.
8:30 am (approx.): Flag-Raising Ceremony in ROCKFIELD PARK. The National Anthem will be sung by Siena Bauer.
9:30 am (approx.): Flag-Raising Ceremony in SHAMROCK PARK. The National Anthem will be sung by Siena Bauer.
10:45 am (approx.): Flag-Raising Ceremony at BEL AIR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. The National Anthem will be sung by Siena Bauer.
7 am - 11:30 am: Pancake Breakfast at BEL AIR HIGH SCHOOL* (admission fee is charged): Blueberry or Chocolate Chip or Plain Pancakes with Sausage Links and Choice of Milk, Apple Juice, Coffee, Tea or Water.
8:30 am: Horseshoe Pitching in Rockfield Park. Registration 8:00 am. Event lasts until ±noon.
9 am - noon: The American Revolution Experience at the Hays House! Presenting "The American Revolution Experience" at the Hays House, which examines how people in the 13 colonies reacted to the Revolution. Children's activities will also be held outside on the lawn. Later, at the Harford History Center (143 N. Main Street, 4 to 5:30 pm), winning artwork interpreting phrases from the Declaration of Independence will be on display.**
9 am - 1 pm: Family Events, Contests & Competitions! Most in tiers by age of participants.
In Shamrock Park:
WATER BALLOON TOSS: 9:30 am
UNCLE SAM SAYS: 10:30 am
WATERMELON EATING: 11 am
BEL AIR COMMUNITY BAND & BEL AIR COMMUNITY CHOIR CONCERT: noon
At BEL AIR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Bicycle Rodeo***: 11 am.
4:00 - 6 pm: Parade Unit Staging, beginning at the INTERSECTION of S. MAIN STREET and E. MACPHAIL ROAD, the entrance to the Homestead-Wakefield Elementary School complex. This is sometimes also called Huntsinger Way.
6 pm: BEL AIR JULY 4 PARADE: “Celebrating USA’s 250th!”
The 2026 Parade will start at the intersection of Idlewild Street and S. Main Street, and proceed to the intersection of E. Gordon Street and N. Main Street, at the "Welcome to Bel Air" sign.
The Reviewing Stand is located at the fountain in front of the Harford County Courthouse, on Main Street. The Parade Master of Ceremonies is Kristy Breslin, of WMAR-TV Channel 2. assisted by Rich Bennett.
At 5:50 pm, the event starts off at the Reviewing Stand with a reading of the Declaration of Independence by Christine Potts of the Historical Society of Harford County, followed at 6 pm by the singing of our National Anthem by Mary Pohlenz.
The entire parade will be live-streamed on Harford TV.
9:30 pm (approximate): Fireworks Display. The 2026 fireworks will be launched from Rockfield Park. Spectators may watch from any permitted area in or around the Town of Bel Air.
NOTES:
*This event is hosted and undertaken by the Bel Air High School Athletic Booster Club; if there are are any questions about it, please reach out to [email protected].
**Hays House events are hosted and undertaken by the Historical Society of Harford County; if there are are any questions about it, please reach out to [email protected].
***This event is hosted and undertaken by the Bel Air Police Department; if there are are any questions about it, please reach out to [email protected].
