BELGRADE -- Parades, live music, food, children's activities and fireworks are on tap for Saturday's Fourth of July celebration here.

"I think it pretty much is the epitome of an old town, old-time summer Fourth of July event," said Laura Richter, chairman of the annual celebration. "People have been coming here for years and years on vacation and they come here just for this."

The daylong festivities include a boat parade at noon featuring decorated and antique boats. The parade will start from the mouth of Mill Stream on Great Pond and continue to Belgrade Lakes Village. The Antique Boat and Motor Show will start at 9 a.m., before the parade, Richter said.

At 4 p.m., a street parade will start north of Belgrade Lakes Village at the Rome Farm and end near the Sunset Grill. Participants will include everything from decorated bikes and floats to old cars, Shriners and trucks from area fire departments.

"I am leading the parade with Citizen of the Year, B.J. Howard, in my antique 1978 Volkswagen convertible," Richter said.

Parade lineup for all vehicles and floats will be at the Rome Farm; at 3:30 p.m., the lineup starts for bikes, walkers and marchers, south of the Rome Farm.

The day will begin at 8 a.m. with a flea market at the corner of Route 27 and West Road, Richter said. At 9 a.m., a book sale sponsored by Friends of Belgrade Library will be held in the Great Pond Marina storage building on Main St. At 11 a.m. a bounce house and face-painting will be featured at The Village Peddler on Lakeshore Drive.

Horseback-led rides will be offered at the Rome Farm, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; strawberry shortcake and hot dogs will be served at the Union Church at noon.

Between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., a balloon toss will be held at the old hotel on Main Street, Richter said. At 5 p.m., a frog-jumping contest sponsored by ColorStorm and Dockside Physical Therapy will start at the corner of Main Street and Hulin Road; a free ice cream social sponsored by Gifford's Ice Cream will be held at the Center for All Seasons.

Then from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., the band, The Martinis, will perform at the Village Inn parking lot.

Fireworks will be launched from Long Pond at 9:15 p.m. and karaoke will be featured at Sunset Grill after the fireworks.

Amy Calder -- 861-9247

acalder@centralmaine.com