Fourth of July Promises to be a Fun-Filled Day for Andover

You're invited to enter a float in the parade

Press release

Andover Village Preschool Fourth of July Float 2015. Photo: Larry Chase
1987 Andover Fourth of July Children’s Parade Participants. Photo by (Unknown)

The Andover Fourth of July Committee is busy putting the finishing touches on what will be a fun-filled day for Andover. If we go back to the origins of Andover’s Fourth of July celebration, the town’s children were at the forefront. That holds true even today. There will be lots of fun things for kids to do such as:
Pancake Breakfast: 7 to 10 AM
Oxen demo behind AE/MS: 7 to 11 AM
Free kids’ activities with prizes on the Village Green: Bullseye Blitz, Obstacle Course, and
Basketball Game: 8 AM to 2 PM
Traditional kids’ games on the Village Green: 9 AM to noon
Music for all ages on the Village Green: from 10:30 AM
Children’s Parade. Decorate and ride a bike, wear a costume and walk, or just walk. Registration for the Children’s Parade is at the Andover Fire Station at 11:45 AM; there is no entry fee.

Finally, there will be pre-fireworks activities at Carr Field, with games and novelties available, starting in the early evening.

The Fourth of July Committee loves participation from the community, and one way to do this is to enter a float in the parade; we’ve never been disappointed.

4H Club Float, Andover Fourth of July 1976  Photo by (Unknown)

This year the theme is “Around Our Town in 80 Years.” The committee is offering prizes for floats: Grand Prize is $250! 1st Prize is $100. Second Prize is $75. Third Prize is $50. For inspiration, see some of the past float photos included with this article. A person, group, business, family…anyone can enter a float!

Also, there are three other parade categories in addition to floats; prizes are also awarded for antique vehicles, other vehicles, and livestock.

There is no entry fee to enter a float, a vehicle, or livestock. Early registration is preferred, but you can also register by 11 AM on July 4. To get an early entry form, contact Donna French Smith at 603 735-6131 or DonnaFrench@nullcomcast.net.

Children Lining Up for the Children’s Parade, Andover Fourth of July 1980. Photo by (Unknown)



Following our theme “Around the Town in 80 Years,” how the world has changed! Eighty years ago, the average household income was $2,000! Glen Miller and Tommy Dorsey were music greats. Disney’s “Bambi” was newly released everywhere. Franklin D. Roosevelt was our president, and Joe Biden would soon be born (November 20, 1942)!

If you could volunteer for even a short period of time on the day of our celebration, we would
appreciate it. Contact Doug Phelps at 802 310-1045 or Doug.Phelps80@nullgmail.com; Donna French Smith (see above); or Beth Frost at 603 455-2882 or BFrost99@nullicloud.com. Thank you!