Downtown Bangor Family 4th

The 4th of July is a great time to experience Downtown Bangor together with family – there’s something for everyone! But if you’re stuck wondering what to do, we have a not just a day planned out for you, but a whole weekend!

Thursday, July 3 

Why Not Start With a Sleepover?

• Arrive in Bangor and enjoy dinner in one of Downtown’s many family-friendly restaurants.
  
  
• Get the wiggles out with a game of tag on the waterfront lawn or take a walk through the parks while you listen to the strains of Old Dominion playing at the Waterfront Pavilion.
  
• Head to bed – tomorrow’s going to be busy!

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Friday, July 4

A full day of community celebration for all ages!

• Good morning! Wake up! Grab a coffee and breakfast at Bagel Central, which has something for every taste. Or sleep in – there’s a lot of day ahead …
  
• Find the perfect place to watch the parade in Downtown Bangor, and at 9:45 a.m. cheer on the 44th Annual Walter Hunt Road Race –known as Maine’s Fastest Road Race – as it passes by the parade route.
  
• At 10:00 Wave flags, clap hands, and cheer on the parade participants as they cross the bridge and move through Downtown Bangor’s historic streets.
  
• Noon(ish) Visit the Waterfront food trucks for lunch or a snack to enjoy while counting the ducks on the river and watching the sky for bald eagles.
  
• Discover the public artwork scattered all around Downtown Bangor by using the self-guided interactive art map – Take a walk or drive and see if you and your family can spot some of the most famous landmarks in downtown Bangor! One of the symbols of Bangor is the famed Paul Bunyan statue, located in front of the Cross Insurance Center on Main Street. On Cross Street, you can pose for pictures under the eye-catching Umbrella Sky installation. The Hannibal Hamlin statue (Abraham Lincoln’s first vice president, and a Bangor native) is located between State and Central streets. There are lots of cool murals downtown as well, like the Kenduskeag Stream mural on Franklin Street, the Good of the Hive mural on Park Street, and the Welcome to Bangor mural at Union and Main streets. And nature has its own works of art – you can regularly see bald eagles soaring above the Penobscot River!
  
• Create a special keepsake of the day at the Dream in Gold Charm Bar with a custom-made charm bracelet.
  
• Grab an early dinner at one of the many waterfront food trucks or cool off at a Downtown eatery open on the 4th – try noodles at Umami, birria grilled cheese at Benjamin’s, poutine at Paddy Murphy’s …or burgers at 99 Hops House and deadly-delicious gourmet hot dogs at Zombie Dogz at Hollywood Casino Hotel & Raceway.
  
• 6:30 pm – Get your dance on together as you rock out on the waterfront at the Chords For Cure Concert – bucket collection to raise funds for Maine children through the Pediatric Center in Brewer. Bangor Waterfront promenade near the corner of Railroad and Front Streets. Or start in West Market Square with a free swing dance lesson from Eye Candy Dance Fitness Studio!
  
• Enjoy the festival atmosphere while wandering around the food trucks, take a nap, or sit on the dock and cool your toes in the Penobscot as you wait for the fireworks.
  
• At 9:00 it’s time to get your seating for the fireworks so everyone can enjoy the sparkling show!
  
• At the last glittery crackle, wave goodbye to the river and head to bed for a snuggle in before the next big day…

Saturday, July 5

Have a day packed with creativity and adventure!

• Enjoy a delightful breakfast Downtown, like a Bagel Central egg sandwich (or cheesecake – we won’t judge!)
  
• At 9 am the Summer Sidewalk Art Festival kicks off, and it’s loaded with family-friendly fun, including music and free children’s activities in Norumbega Park! There’s face painting, slime making, crafts, food trucks, and art for everyone!
  
• Grab lunch and enjoy people watching in Downtown before heading out on the next adventure!
  
• Take the family to the Maine Discovery Museum in downtown Bangor has for more than 20 years been a destination for families from across the state. Four floors of activities where kids can learn, play and be inspired – right alongside parents and other family and friends. Walk through Maine’s woods and waters, take a trip around the world on a cargo ship, explore the mysteries of outer space, and even dig for dinosaur fossils – all in one building. Or drive just a few minutes outside downtown Bangor to the Cole Land Transportation Museum, a fascinating local museum for parents to learn about history – and for kids to check out a vast array of trucks, cars, bikes, scooters, snowmobiles and plows, and even part of a real-life train and an actual historic tank outside. It’s all touchable and much of it is interactive, with lots to learn and see and try. The Cole Museum is located at 405 Perry Road in Bangor, and it’s always free for kids.
  
• Time for a picnic! Grab dinner on the go at Shaws Grocery or at one of the great food trucks on the waterfront, grab a picnic table, and dine al fresco before your next adventure!
  
• At 5:00, head to the Maine Savings Amphitheater to see KIDZ BOP LIVE ($30 tix are still available!) and bop away the evening together with family-friendly versions of all the latest hits as the sun sets! Show starts at 5:30 pm and ends at just about bedtime for the younger set.

Sunday, July 6

Closing out a bangin’ Bangor family weekend.

• Enjoy a relaxed morning Downtown for breakfast, or grab something quickly at Dunkin or Aroma Joe’s.
  
• If you didn’t get a chance on Saturday, head to the Cole Transportation Museum for the morning, where you can see the history of Maine as told through transportation, as well as a nice selection of military vehicles, uniforms, and artifacts honoring Maine veterans. It opens at 9am.
  
• Visit the Bangor Farmers’ Market at 11am for the freshest berries, vegetables, and delicious goodies before heading back home, whether it’s just up the hill or a bit of a drive away.
  
• Watch sleepy kids doze in the car, as everyone dreams about what the next Bangor adventure might be.