08/28/2026
TOMORROW IS THE BIG DAY!
Here’s everything you need to know about Southwick’s celebration on Saturday, August 29th.
The parade steps off at 4:00 p.m. from the Town Library/High School area on Route 57. It will travel down Route 57, turn left onto Powder Mill Road, and then left into Whalley Park.
It looks like we’ll have a great turnout, including farm animals, tractors, baseball and recreation teams, community groups, fire trucks, police vehicles, and plenty of other emergency and public-safety equipment.
After the parade, head over to Whalley Park and The Wick 338 side of the property. We’ll have plenty of food vendors, a DJ making announcements, and three bounce houses for the kids—two obstacle courses and one traditional bounce house.
Please come hungry and support the food vendors who came out to be part of the celebration. Most will also be selling drinks. Some vendors accept credit cards, but we recommend bringing cash. There is no ATM on-site.
For the first time, we’ll have live music! 91 South will take the stage around 6:00 p.m. The music is sponsored by the Southwick Cultural Council and the Rotary Club of Southwick. We were fortunate to receive a grant from the Cultural Council, and the Rotary stepped up to cover the difference.
The Rotary will also have adult beverages available in its designated area near the pavilion and music.
Fireworks will begin when it is dark enough, most likely sometime between 8:30 and 9:00 p.m.—and this year’s show is going to be a big one!
Our normal fireworks show is approximately $14,000. Thanks to an incredibly generous donation from a local family celebrating their anniversary, this year’s show is approximately $34,000. Their wish was for the entire donation to go into this year’s celebration, so expect a longer and larger show than usual.
Parking is FREE and available at Whalley Park, the Recreation Center fields, Powder Mill School, and Woodland School.
If you are parking at Whalley Park and see caution tape, please do not go beyond it. The tape is there for a reason. Please be respectful of the grounds and the property our town owns.
The restrooms at Whalley Park will be open, and additional portable restrooms will be available near the food vendors.
A few friendly reminders:
• Bug spray is probably a good idea.
• Bring cash—there is no ATM on-site.
• Whatever you bring in, please bring back out with you. Help us keep the grounds clean.
• Please be patient and cautious when leaving after the fireworks. There will be a lot of people heading out at once.
• Be courteous and kind to the volunteers, vendors, and everyone around you.
Events like this take a tremendous amount of work behind the scenes. We sincerely thank Southwick Park & Recreation for everything they do to maintain these beautiful fields and for allowing us to use the facilities. We also thank The Wick 338 for providing space on their side of the property, the portable restrooms, and the fireworks launch area.
And on a personal note, thank you to everyone who has reached out, stepped up, and helped behind the scenes. No event like this is ever put together by one person. It takes a lot of hands, a lot of patience, and people willing to just show up.
It really is “We the People,” and we appreciate every one of you.
The weather looks wonderful, the parade is shaping up nicely, and the fireworks are ready. Now all we need is you!
Come early, bring the family, support the vendors, enjoy the music, and help us celebrate America’s 250th right here in Southwick.
