4th of July in Bar Harbor, Maine
As someone who was born and bred on the East Coast, when I think of the 4th of July, I think of a good old fashioned parade down a main street and fireworks to end the day. In between might include a visit to the beach, or eating with family of friends.
One of the towns that I love the most, Bar Harbor, has an iconic and epic 4th of July. You can spend all day in downtown Bar Harbor, enjoying the festivities to help support local organizations.
In 2014, I spent a summer living in Bar Harbor. It is still one of my favorite places on earth. So, last year, to honor 10 years since that amazing summer, we returned with our 5-year-old for a proper July 4th celebration. If you, too, want to spend a wonderful holiday in Acadia National Park, and enjoy everything that Bar Harbor has to offer, then read on for a play-by-play of our day.
Ocean Path, Acadia National Park
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7-10am: Pancake Breakfast
We woke up at 6am to drive into town from our campsite and park enjoy the pancake breakfast.
Each year, the the Bar Harbor (MDI) Rotary Club puts up a large tent and serves pancakes, sausage, breakfast sandwiches, and beverages.
Cost in 2024: $13 for adults/ $9 for children
Breakfast was not too busy at 7, but by 8am, there was a line of about 50 people.
Tip: Set your GPS to the MDI YMCA for you can find parking nearby. On 4th of July, all meters are turned off, and parking is free.
10am: Parade
The parade starts at 10am, so you want to be at your spot along Main Street before that. earlier. Some people will bring chairs and set them up. You should be able to leave your chairs on the sidewalks and in the parking spots along the street without any worries.
We were lucky enough to camp out at Choco-Latte, one of our favorite cafes, order a second breakfast, and watch the parade from there. As someone who lived in Bar Harbor for a summer, this is my favorite tradition because you can see all the local business and their crafty floats passing by.
Tip: If you are traveling with kids, bring a bag or basket. The different floats, tractors, and trucks will toss candy out into the crowd. Your kiddos might up with as much candy as they would if they were out on Halloween.
11am-2pm
The town fields and parking lot adjacent to the YMCA host additional fun activities. You could spend the entire morning here and never leave the blocks surrounding the YMCA.
You can choose from:
Craft Fair/ Market: Opens at 8am: The Island Arts Association often holds a fundraiser featuring a wonderful selection of Maine crafts, including jewelry, quilts, photographs, pottery, and porcelain dolls.
Family-fun Activities at the Ball Field: Starts around 11am: For $5 per station, families can enjoy: face-painting, snow cones, hair tinsel, and lots of good old fashioned yard games like ring toss, ladder ball, and more.
Rotary Club Luncheon: Around 11am breakfast turns to lunch and you can enjoy lobster, corn, hot dogs, and french fries.
We chose to spend the middle of the day in the national park, and chose to head out for a hike and some time near the water. We were lucky to find a spot on Park Loop Road near Sand Beach (one of our favorite places to park). From there, we took a walk along the waterfront to stay cool. (We love walking the Ocean Path on a warm day. If you have some ambitious hikers in your group, they can also hike Beehive or Gorham Mountain while the rest of the party relaxes at Sand Beach).
Waiting for fireworks at Agamont Park
7:30-9:30: Music and Fireworks show
You will want to get back into town for the fireworks before sunset. Parking will be tough; if you have young kids, plan to bring a stroller for the walking before or after fireworks. While our daughter rarely used a stroller, we did bring a collapsible travel stoller when she was ages 4-5 if were pushing her to be up early or late.
We found parking outside of town by the Ferry Terminal on Eden Street. You might also find parking at College of the Atlantic or along the streets.
The best spot for viewing fireworks is near Agamont Park. This park looks out on to Frenchman’s Bay. This is also one of the few spots in town with ample public restrooms.
I would plan to get there early and bring a blanket, drawing pad, card games, and snacks to keep everyone happy!
Once the fireworks end, you can walk back to your car, and take LOTS of deep breaths as you will be waiting in very long car lines to get back to your accommodations if you are staying outside of town. We ended up heading back into Acadia and taking Park Loop Road back to our campsite instead of sitting in traffic on route 3.
Final Verdict:
Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park are VERY busy during July 4th. But, if you are craving classic, small town vibes in a beautiful location, then I highly recommend spending one holiday by the sea on Mount Desert Island. There’s nothing like it!
Want a map to guide you through your visit of Acadia and Bar Harbor? We’ve visited there 5 times and have saved every restaurant, coffee shop, beach, playground, and parking lot. You won’t get lost with you Google Maps guide to Acadia.
