July 4th in Coconut Grove; full day of events

Coconut Grove is the place to be every 4th of July, and this year is no exception. As usual, there will be a full day of celebration, starting at The Barnacle in the morning with an old-fashioned picnic and ending with a spectacular fireworks display at Peacock Park.

July 4th starts at 11 am at The Barnacle (3485 Main Highway) for their old-fashioned type of day. Lawn games, board games and even kite flying are part of the fun. Live music from Cool 'Ol Dudes will entertain. The usual red, white and blue bunting will festoon the house. Bring a picnic or treat yourself to hot dogs, hamburgers, veggie dogs and burgers, popcorn, soft drinks and ice cream available for purchase.

Admission to the park on the day of this event is $5; $3 for ages 6-12; children under 6 are free. The park opens at 9 am with activities from 11 am to 4 pm. Park closes at 5 pm. The Barnacle welcomes Blankets, lawn chairs and picnics, but alcohol and fireworks are not permitted.

From The Barnacle, head on over to The Bookstore where the Grove's famous Coconut Hunt begins at 3:30 pm. Win great prizes by finding hidden coconuts all around the Village. After the hunt, which ends at the CocoWalk fountain, stick around for CocoWalk's fun activities. Their now famous hot dog eating contest begins at 5 pm. How many hot dogs can you eat in 10 minutes? The winner wins big prizes.Beer Pong begins at 6 pm and Deck 52 will Rock the Walk beginning at 7, and everyone is invited to join the CocoWalk musical celebration following the 9 pm fireworks in Peacock Park. Email Peggy now at mpeggyq@cocowalk.net to enter the Hot Dog contest.

The Chamber takes over Peacock Park for Fireworks and fun starting at 4 pm. Food vendors include: New York Roma Pizza, Toby’s Concessions, Greek Eats, Candy & Chocolate Covered Fruit, Bahamian Conch Shack, Doña Arepa, LM Catering, Fireman Derek’s World-Famous Pies, Chart House and more. Beverages will include Sam Adams lager, Rex Goliath Wines and a variety of cocktails, plus water, sodas and Toby’s frozen lemonade. And Samuel Adams is the official beer of the event, as usual.

Cox Media DJs from Party 93.1, The Coast 97.3 and 99JAMZ will spin the latest tunes and keep the crowd entertained all the way through to the fireworks display which will be set to music. For little ones, a Kids Adventure Park will feature slides, rides, bounce houses and more.

Fireworks start around 9ish, give or take a few. This is open and free to the public.