The public is invited to celebrate Independence Day at Washington Crossing Historic Park on July 4 from noon to 4 PM.

Admission to the daytime event is $8 for adults (age 12 and over), $4 for children (ages 5-11) and free for those under age five. All proceeds support educational and historical programming in the park. This is a rain or shine event.

During the day, attendees can watch living historians demonstrate their crafts, tour historic buildings, and see a military encampment. The Declaration of Independence will be read at 12:30, 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 PM.

Deborah Kalb, author of the new children’s book The President and Me: George Washington and the Magic Hat, will sign copies of her book from noon to 4 p.m.  In the book, a fifth-grade boy goes back in time to interact with George and Martha Washington while facing present-day dilemmas of school life. Paperback copies of the book will be available for $12.99.

The daytime celebration will be capped off at dusk with fireworks – the first pyrotechnic display in the park in more than 20 years. The fireworks will fly beginning around dusk in the large field diagonal to the park’s Visitor Center.

The fireworks are free. Rain date for the fireworks is July 8.