At the base of Spring Street, Flatbed Jazz Band will play and there will be a free barbecue, courtesy of Stop & Shop and Williams College.

A reading of the Declaration of Independence will be held on the lawn of the Williams College Museum of Art at 1:30 p.m. with actors from the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Comedian Lewis Black is again scheduled to give the British response this year.

The museum is open from 11 to 3 so stop in to peruse the college's original copies of the Declaration and U.S. Constitution. Robert Volz, the custodian of the Chapin Library, will be on hand to answer any of your questions on the Founding Documents.


Pittsfield
The annual Fourth of July Parade begins at 10 a.m. - rain or shine - at the corner of South and West Housatonic streets and ends at historic Wahconah Park. This year's theme is "Movie Classics" featuring the new Upstreet Cultural District as the grand marsal.

Gov. Deval Patrick will march in the parade and then  join Shakespeare & Company (see below) for the reading of the Declaration in Lenox.

In the evening, catch the Pittsfield Suns taking on the Mavericks, followed by fireworks at Wahconah Park.
 

 
North Adams

The SteepleCats will face off at 6:30 against the Sanford Mainers at Joe Wolfe Field, followed by the annual fireworks display at around 9:30.


Lenox
Shakespeare & Company hosts its annual community barbecue beginning at 1:30 p.m. followed by a reading of The Declaration of Independence at 3 with guest Richard Dreyfuss at the Rose Footprint Theatre.

Tanglewood hosts Berkshires favorite James Taylor, followed by fireworks over Stockbridge Bowl.

Otis
The Otis Reservoir Property Owners Association voted on Sunday, July 1  to hold fireworks at the pond on Saturday, July 6.

Farther afield:

Bennington, Vt.
The annual Hometown Celebration and Fireworks at Willow Park is an all-day event. The Kmart parking lot on Kocher Drive is a good site for watching the fireworks.

Chesterfield
The Hampshire County town is marking its 250th anniversary this year.  Activities begin with a pancake breakfast at the firehouse; parade is at 10:30, followed by family activities, games and chicken barbecue.

Want to be included? Send your July 4 celebration information to info@iberkshires.com.