Do you like to go all out on the 4th of July? Enjoying every barbecue, festival, parade, and fireworks display you can find?

Or do you prefer to keep things low-key and find somewhere quiet to enjoy a nearby fireworks show?

Either way, we’ve got you covered! This year is exceptionally historic as communities across the nation celebrate America's 250th birthday. Local towns around Central Massachusetts are pulling out all the stops for the Semiquincentennial, meaning bigger parades, better festivals, and spectacular fireworks displays.

Grab your calendar and check out our handpicked list of 4th of July celebrations in and around Westborough for 2026!

When: Friday, June 26, 2026 | 5:30 PM – 10:00 PM
Where: Bay State Commons (1100 Union St, Westborough, MA 01581)
Cost: Free admission
More Info:

Westborough is kicking off the holiday week early with a massive historic celebration! The programming begins at 5:30 PM with a veterans' march into Bay State Commons, followed by a live reading of the Declaration of Independence by a Ben Franklin reenactor. At 6:00 PM, the street party officially starts with local food trucks, a bounce house, face painting, hayrides, pony rides, and live classic rock from The Reminisants. The grand finale is a highly anticipated, town-sponsored fireworks display launching at 9:00 PM!

When: Thursday, July 2, 2026 | 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM
Where: Southborough Library (25 Main St, Southborough, MA 01772)
Cost: Free
More Info:

A perfect, low-key tradition for the little ones. The parade will gather inside the Children’s Room at the library and march proudly to the Southborough Town House. The library will provide patriotic hats, flags, and noisemakers for all the children marching, and refreshing ice cream will be served immediately following the parade. Sponsored by the wonderful Friends of the Southborough Library.

When: Saturday, June 28, 2026 | Parade begins at 4:00 PM | Muster at 5:30 PM
Where: Parade on Main Street, Marlborough; Festivities at Ward Park, Marlborough
Cost: Free
More Info: Patch Event Page

This one is a once-in-a-generation event. Marlborough's community parade kicks off at 4:00 PM down Main Street with fife and drum corps, militia groups, and tributes to the nation's founding history. The celebration moves to Ward Park at 5:30 PM for live musket drills, a dramatic skirmish between the Lexington Militia and British Red Coats, cannon fire, food and drinks, and family-friendly entertainment. If you want to feel what 250 years of American history actually sounds and looks like, this is the place to be.

When: Thursday, July 2, 2026 | 4:00 PM – 9:30 PM (fireworks)
Where: Cristoforo Colombo Park, Worcester, MA 01604
Cost: Free
More Info:

Worcester is going big for the Semiquincentennial with a free, family-friendly evening at Cristoforo Colombo Park. The park opens at 4:00 PM for an afternoon of community celebration, with live music beginning at 8:00 PM featuring Dan Gabel and His Orchestra with special guest Alisan Porter. Fireworks launch at 9:30 PM, synchronized to a live musical score. It's happening two days before the 4th, making it perfect for families who want to catch a spectacular professional show without the Saturday crowds.

When: Saturday, July 4, 2026 | 9:45 AM
Where: Starts at North Street Elementary School (60 North St, Grafton, MA 01519); parade arrives at the Common by 10:00 AM
Cost: Free
More Info: Grafton 4th Planning Committee on Facebook

If you want to start the 4th off with a classic small-town parade, Grafton delivers. The fun kicks off at 9:45 AM with the announcement of the Doggie Mayor of Grafton at the Common — yes, that's exactly what it sounds like — before the parade arrives from North Street Elementary at 10:00 AM. Floats, music, and food round out the morning, followed immediately by the Grafton Farmers Market at 10:30 AM. You could be home well before noon and still have the whole afternoon ahead of you.

When: Saturday, July 4, 2026 | Activities 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM | Movie at 7:00 PM | Fireworks ~8:45 PM
Where: Polar Park, 100 Madison St, Worcester, MA 01608
Cost: Ticketed event
More Info & Tickets:

Polar Park is pulling out all the stops for a full evening of 4th of July fun. Activities run from 4:00 to 7:00 PM and include Touch-A-Truck and family entertainment throughout the ballpark, with complimentary Blue Woo Shuttles running from nearby parking areas. At 7:00 PM, settle in for an outdoor screening of the classic "Field of Dreams" on the ballpark lawn. As darkness falls around 8:27 PM, the fireworks show launches at approximately 8:45 PM. Tickets are required and are on sale now — grab them early through the link above.

If you are traveling outside of the Westborough area or want to see what other towns are doing, don't sweat it. You can skip the old, broken maps and head straight to the official Mass.gov Summer Permitted Fireworks Schedule. They maintain a continuously updated, legally authorized registry of every approved professional fireworks display across the state by town and date.

Have a safe, happy, and wonderful 4th of July from all of us at Mathieu Newton Sotheby's International Realty!