What Augusta landmark, built in 1754 on the banks of the Kennebec, holds the distinction of being America's oldest surviving wooden fort — and will host its own America's 250th Celebration this July 4th?

This Saturday, July 4th, Augusta anchors one of the best Independence Day weekends in the Kennebec Valley — and with the country turning 250, 2026 is the one to show up for.

Augusta starts the day with its annual parade at 10:00 AM, stepping off from the State House parking lot, circling Memorial Circle, running down Rines Hill onto Water Street, and crossing the Calumet Bridge to Old Fort Western. Once the parade arrives, Mayor Mark O'Brien reads the Declaration of Independence at the Fort, followed by a traditional musket salute, historic games, wagon rides, and live music from the Downeast Brass Band. It's free, and it's the kind of history you can stand inside of.

From there, Mill Park takes over. Bounce houses, food trucks, and a magic show kick off at 1:00 PM, with live music and more vendors rolling in at 4:30 PM. Augusta's fireworks light up the Kennebec at 9:05 PM, with Mill Park serving as the best seat in the house.

The Capital City turns it on for the whole valley this year, one river, one night, and the same country turning 250 right along with it.

For the full Augusta schedule, visit the City of Augusta's event page.

WHAT: Independence Day Parade, Old Fort Western Declaration Reading, Mill Park Family Festival & Fireworks

WHERE: Augusta, State House to Old Fort Western to Mill Park

WHEN: Parade 10:00 AM, Mill Park 1:00 PM, Fireworks 9:05 PM

COST: Free

FAMILY: Yes, all ages welcome throughout the day

WHY GO: It's the Fourth of July in the Kennebec Valley. This is the 250th

I remember 4th of July celebrations as a kid. We used to keep the dogs in a safe room away from the noise and turn the TV on so they had normal sounds. I remember going to Penny Hill Farm — it's not there anymore, but I still remember it fondly — picking up a huge watermelon, ice cream, and Dad cooking on the grill. Those were happy times.

I hope my readers either remember stories like those or are living them right now — or really both — as we celebrate our country this weekend.

This edition of the Kennebec Valley Voice comes to you alongside Maine Thrive Voices, our podcast featuring conversations with the people and businesses shaping this region.

One more thing before the Fourth, mark your calendar for a week from this Sunday. The Augusta Marathon Running Festival, full marathon, half, 10K, and 5K, goes off July 12 at 7:00 AM from Camp Chamberlain, 23 Blue Star Ave in Augusta, hosted by the Army National Guard and put on by Maine Endurance Sports Alliance. I recently sat down with Laura McIntyre of MESA for Maine Thrive Voices, and it's a great listen if you're running, volunteering, or just want to know what goes into pulling off a race like this in our backyard. You can listen to that episode on Spotify here.

FIREWORKS & FUN IN THE VALLEY & NEARBY — July 4th Weekend 2026

The sky lights up all over the region this weekend. Here's every confirmed display we know about so you can find the one that works for your family.

Augusta — Independence Day Parade, 10:00 AM, State House → Memorial Circle → Water Street → Calumet Bridge → Old Fort Western

Augusta — Old Fort Western: Declaration reading by Mayor Mark O'Brien, musket salute, historic games, wagon rides, live music from the Downeast Brass Band

Augusta — Mill Park Family Festival: bounce houses, food trucks, magic show at 1:00 PM; live music and more vendors from 4:30 PM

Augusta — Fireworks, 9:05 PM, over the Kennebec, best viewing from Mill Park

Winslow — American Legion Post 8835: food trucks starting 7:30 PM, fireworks at 9:00 PM, 175 Veteran Drive

Gardiner — Johnson Hall Waterfront Concert Series, Friday, 6:00 PM, Gardiner Waterfront Park

Skowhegan — Skowhegan Craft Brew Festival, 3:00 PM, Main Street Skowhegan

Belgrade Lakes 

8:00 am - 1pm Farmer's Market

8:00 am - 1pm Lake & Woods Art Activities

8:00 am - 4 pm Self Guided Farm Tours, Winterberry Farm

Noom -Boat Parade on Great Pond

9:15 pm - Fireworks Show over Long Pond

July 10 & 11

Fairfield — Two-day, multi-site 250th celebration: Friday, Memorial Park, 6:00–7:30 PM live music and food trucks, Americana/glow parade at 8:00 PM, fireworks at 9:00 PM; Saturday, Victor Grange breakfast, show-n-shine car show, craft fair (10:00 AM–4:00 PM) at the community center, Mill Island Park kids' zone (inflatables, face painting, food trucks, vendors), Touch-a-Truck near the Fairfield Fire Station, Memorial Park live music/games/beer garden/dunk tank/bed races, VFW cornhole tournament

Thank God I Live In America" — A Song Written for This Exact Moment

Two hundred and fifty years ago, ordinary people dared to dream of freedom. That's the opening line of this song — and it's worth stopping on for a second before the parade starts and the fireworks go up Saturday night.

"Thank God I Live In America" was released just a few weeks ago as a 250th Anniversary Edition, written specifically for this milestone year. It's not a political song. It's a gratitude song — the kind that reminds you why the Fourth of July is more than a day off and more than fireworks over a river. It's a celebration of something that was never guaranteed and still isn't.

Three minutes. Worth every one of them. Watch it below.

Happy Independence DayKennebec Valley. We're lucky to be here.

AccuWeather — Waterville- Augusta, Maine — July 1–7, 2026

Wed 7/1 — High 91° / Low 75° · 55% precip
Near-record heat, humid, p.m. thunderstorm possible — storms capable of flooding downpours and damaging wind gusts

Thu 7/2 — High 98° / Low 76° · 55% precip
Record-breaking heat (old record 93°, set 1963), strong p.m. thunderstorm

Fri 7/3 — High 97° / Low 72° · 55% precip
Thunderstorm, near-record heat (old record 94°, set 2002)

Sat 7/4 — High 91° / Low 67° · 55% precip
Sun breaking through clouds, heavy thunderstorm possible, near-record heat (old record 93°, set 2018)

Sun 7/5 — High 84° / Low 63° · 30% precip
Times of clouds and sun, couple of showers possible

Mon 7/6 — High 82° / Low 60° · 60% precip
Mostly cloudy, a bit of rain

Tue 7/7 — High 82° / Low 62° · 64% precip
Variable cloudiness, couple of showers, mainly later

Active Alerts: Extreme Heat Watch, Wed 12:00 PM–Thu 8:00 PM · Heat Advisory, Wed 11:00 AM–8:00 PM

Business Spotlight — Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce

Located at 50 Elm Street in Waterville, the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce has served the mid-Maine region for over 100 years, providing resources for visitors, residents, businesses, and those considering relocation across towns like Waterville, Winslow, Oakland, and Fairfield, plus many surrounding communities. Under President & CEO Kimberly Lindlof, the Chamber stays active in the tourism arena through the Kennebec Valley Tourism Council, the Kennebec River District, regional marketing efforts, and partnerships with the Maine Office of Tourism and the Maine Tourism Association.

A special thank-you this week to Mike Guarino, the Chamber's Community Engagement Specialist and chair of the Kennebec Valley Tourism Council. With 25 years of tourism, community relations, and event experience in Maine, Mike was instrumental in helping pin down accurate July 4th event details across the region for this edition — confirming Waterville's fireworks-only celebration and pointing us toward Winslow, Fairfield, and Belgrade Lakes. That's the kind of behind-the-scenes work the Chamber and its tourism team do every day to make sure the Kennebec Valley shows up well, and we're grateful for it.

Whether you're a local business looking to network, a visitor planning a trip, or just trying to find out what's happening this weekend, the Mid-Maine Chamber and its tourism team are a resource worth knowing.

The City of Augusta is opening a cooling center Thursday, July 2, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the Augusta Civic Center, 76 Community Drive, in direct response to the Extreme Heat Watch covering Wednesday through Thursday this week.

 Augusta's City Council holds Regular Business Meetings on the first and third Thursday of the month at 7:00 PM, and July 2 is the first Thursday; meetings re-air on CTV7 Monday at 7:00 AM, Tuesday at 3:30 PM, Wednesday at 11:00 AM, Thursday at 7:00 PM, Friday at 7:00 PM, Saturday at 7:00 PM, and Sunday at 7:00 AM.

The city has also completed its citywide property revaluation for the April 1, 2026 tax year, and residents with questions can schedule an informal hearing with a KRT representative through the city's Assessing page.

Waterville's City Council holds regular meetings on the first and third Tuesday of the month, and July 7 is the first Tuesday, putting that meeting at the very end of this edition's window. Meetings are held in hybrid format at City Hall Annex, 46 Front Street, agendas post the Thursday before, meaning July 2 for the July 7 meeting, and meetings re-air on Crossroads TV Channel 1301 Tuesday at 7:00 PM, Wednesday and Thursday at 7:00 AM, and Sunday at 11:00 AM.

Two BNI chapters anchor the Kennebec Valley's weekly networking calendar.

Kennebec Networkers BNI meets every Wednesday at 8:00 AM, in person at the Thomas College Ice Vault, 203 Whitten Road in Hallowell.

Elm City Referral Source meets every Thursday at 8:30 AM, in person at the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce, 50 Elm Street in Waterville, phone 207-873-3315.

Both chapters welcome visitors who want to see how referral-based networking works before deciding whether to join.

Thomas College in Waterville has inaugurated Jeannine Diddle Uzzi as its sixth president, a leadership transition worth watching for a school that's long been a major employer and economic anchor in the Kennebec Valley. New college presidents often bring new partnerships and initiatives with them, and Thomas's ties to the local business community through programs like the Kennebec Leadership Institute mean this is a name KVV readers will likely hear again.

Kennebec Savings Bank has promoted Natusha Fate to assistant vice president and retail operations director, a sign of continued investment in leadership at one of the region's anchor financial institutions.

Augusta's Cushnoc Brewing Co. has been expanding into downtown Waterville with a new restaurant and bar concept called Cushnoc Cantina, planned for the ground floor of the Bill and Joan Alfond Main Street Commons, a Colby College building on Main Street. It's a notable cross-river move that speaks to the strength of Waterville's downtown as a draw for Augusta-based businesses.

A long-vacant parcel near the Kennebec River in Waterville is now home to Sturgeon Landing, a new 32-unit apartment building, adding meaningful housing stock in a city where downtown investment has topped 120 million dollars in recent and planned projects.

That downtown momentum matters for everyone in the Kennebec Valley because it directly affects the businesses and foot traffic readers see every day, more residents downtown means more customers for the shops, restaurants, and services that make Waterville's Main Street work.

Downtown Waterville Farmers' Market
Thursday, 2:00–6:00 PM, Head of Falls Park, 60 Front Street, Waterville
One of the region's most established markets, running since 2006 with more than 20 vendors offering local produce, baked goods, meats, flowers, artisan products, and seasonal offerings from central Maine growers and makers.

Augusta Farmers' Market at Mill Park
Tuesday, 2:00–6:00 PM, 1 Water Street, Mill Park, Augusta
Confirmed as Tuesday-only for the summer season, May through late November. A popular stop for residents looking for fresh local food, handmade products, and direct connections with area farmers and producers.

Skowhegan Farmers' Market
Saturday, 9:00 AM–1:00 PM, 42 Court Street (Maine Grains parking lot), Skowhegan
Local farms and food producers gather each week offering fresh vegetables, meats, baked goods, honey, maple products, and seasonal specialties, running May through October.

Gardiner Farmers' Market
Wednesday, 3:00–6:00 PM, The Common, Gardiner
A midweek opportunity to stock up on locally grown produce and support small farms from throughout the Kennebec Valley region, running May through October.

Fairfield Farmers' Market
Wednesday, 2:00–6:00 PM, and Saturday, 9:30 AM–1:30 PM, 81 Main Street (Church of the Nazarene parking lot), Fairfield

A growing community market featuring local vendors, fresh foods, crafts, and products from area farmers and small businesses. Notably the only KVV market running both a midweek and weekend session.

Scooby is an energetic, affectionate 1-year-old pit bull mix looking for a loving family at the Humane Society Waterville Area in Waterville, Maine.

Since June 23, 2026, he’s greeted visitors from the adoption floor, hoping to find his forever home.

Though his house-training status isn’t certain, Scooby’s playful personality promises loyal companionship.

Led by Executive Director Josh Forester—a former dog trainer who joined in 2024—the shelter is dedicated to finding secure homes, promoting responsible ownership, and prioritizing the welfare of every animal.

Those interested can visit 100 Webb Road to meet Scooby and learn about adopting.

All fees include neutering, microchipping, and vaccinations, ensuring pets like Scooby are healthy and ready for a new start.

Welcoming Scooby into your life means supporting vital animal care in the community.

Jackson is a lively Border Collie mix waiting for his forever family at the Kennebec Valley Humane Society in Augusta, Maine.

Just over a year and a half old, Jackson exudes playful energy and warmth, with a stunning black-and-white coat to match his big personality.

He’s learned the basics but would thrive with ongoing training from a dedicated adopter.

Jackson is best suited to a home with kids over eight, as well as cat-savvy companions, and should be the only dog.

The Kennebec Valley Humane Society has been uniting pets and families since 1927, offering adoptions, fostering, and humane education to central Maine communities.

Adoption fees cover spaying or neutering, vaccines, and health checks.

Meet Jackson at their shelter, open Tuesday through Saturday, and discover if he’s the perfect fit for your home.

Maine's wild blueberries, thriving naturally in the state's unique climate, are a cherished summer delight. These small, intensely flavored berries have been a staple in local cuisine for generations. One standout dessert that showcases their vibrant taste is the Maine Blueberry Grunt. This traditional dish combines simmered wild blueberries with steamed dumplings, creating a comforting treat that's both simple and satisfying. It's a perfect addition to Fourth of July celebrations, embodying the essence of Maine's culinary heritage.

To prepare this classic dessert, you'll need:

For the blueberry base:

- 4 cups fresh Maine wild blueberries

- ½ cup sugar

- ½ cup water

- Juice of half a lemon

- Pinch of cinnamon

For the dumplings:

- 1½ cups flour

- 2 teaspoons baking powder

- ½ teaspoon salt

- 2 tablespoons sugar

- ¾ cup milk

- 2 tablespoons melted butter

Begin by combining the blueberries, sugar, water, lemon juice, and cinnamon in a wide skillet or Dutch oven. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat. While the berries are cooking, mix the dumpling ingredients together until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Drop spoonfuls of the batter over the simmering berries, cover the pan tightly, and let it cook without lifting the lid for 15 minutes. The dumplings will steam through and puff up over the fruit. Serve the grunt warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of heavy cream. This dessert captures the taste of a Maine summer and is sure to become a Fourth of July favorite.

In the Kennebec Valley, the Fourth of July is a time to celebrate local traditions, and incorporating wild blueberry desserts like the Maine Blueberry Grunt into your festivities is a delicious way to honor the region's rich agricultural heritage. Whether you're a longtime resident or a visitor, this dessert offers a taste of Maine's summer bounty that's both nostalgic and delightful.

If this newsletter helped you plan your Fourth of July weekend, do us a favor and pass it along to a neighbor, a friend, or anyone else in the Kennebec Valley who'd want to know what's happening around here. The more people in on it, the better this gets. And if someone forwarded this to you, you can subscribe and get Kennebec Valley Voices delivered straight to your inbox every week here 

That's the Fourth of July, Kennebec Valley style. Whether you're catching the parade in Augusta or making the rounds through Winslow, Fairfield, and beyond, we hope this guide helped you plan a weekend worth remembering, especially this year, with the whole country turning 250 right alongside us.

If you haven't already, check out the Maine Thrive Voices podcast for more conversations with the people and businesses shaping the Kennebec Valley.  Check it out here

Happy Fourth, from all of us at KVV.

America turns 250 this week. Let that sink in for a moment.

As a nation, we've survived two hundred and fifty winters, built industries, recovered from setbacks, and raised generations along the Kennebec River. That's not a small thing. This valley has earned its place in Maine's story, and I'm proud to call it home.

The Kennebec Valley has done hard things before. We've weathered economic shifts, rebuilt downtowns, and found new life along the same riverfront that's powered this region for two and a half centuries. We've always found a way.

The 250th anniversary is a gift, a moment to step back and appreciate just how far this valley has come, and how much good is still ahead of it. So this weekend, take it in. Watch the parade roll through Augusta. Stand along the Kennebec when the fireworks go up over Mill Park. Wave a flag, eat something off a grill, and be glad you live here.

Happy birthday, America. Happy Fourth, Kennebec Valley. Have a happy, fun, and safe one.

— Sandy

Old Fort Western. Built in 1754 as a fortified trading post during the French and Indian War, it's recognized as the oldest surviving wooden fort in the United States, and a young Continental Army officer named Benedict Arnold staged his ill-fated march on Quebec from its grounds in 1775.