It's a 4th of July week across the Fox Valley — Appleton's Festival Foods fireworks kick off Friday, Neenah/Menasha's CommunityFest runs Friday's parade into Saturday's fireworks, and Oshkosh turns Menominee Park into an all-day celebration. Prefer the water? Fremont's barge party puts live music right on Partridge Lake. Here's everything worth your time.
⭐ Weekender Picks
🎆 Festival Foods Fireworks — Veterans Memorial Park, Appleton
Appleton's biggest 4th of July fireworks show lights up Veterans Memorial Park at 9:45pm Friday, presented by Festival Foods. Free and family-friendly — get there early for parking and a spot on the grass. If you're only catching one fireworks show this weekend, this is the default pick.
🎆 CommunityFest Parade of Lights — Downtown Neenah, Neenah
Neenah and Menasha kick off their joint CommunityFest with an illuminated parade through downtown Friday night, 9–11pm. Route runs Main Street and Wisconsin Avenue to Commercial, then Washington into Menasha. Grab a curb spot early — it draws a crowd for both cities' holiday weekend.
🎆 CommunityFest 4th of July — Riverside Park, Neenah
Neenah and Menasha's CommunityFest fills Riverside Park all day Saturday — food, vendors, and a Neenah Community Band concert at 7:30, capped by fireworks at 9:45pm. Free, and built for a full day out whether you show up in the afternoon or just for the finale.
🎆 4th of July at Menominee Park — Menominee Park, Oshkosh
Oshkosh goes all-in at Menominee Park Saturday: the Lakefly Cafe and zoo train run 10am–6pm, food trucks roll in from 3–10pm, and Festival Foods fireworks close it out around dusk. Free, and there's enough packed into one park to make a full day of it.
🛥️ 2026 Barge Party feat. Dustin Lee — Partridge Lake Sandbar, Fremont
Live music from Dustin Lee, played right off a barge on Partridge Lake, with boats, pontoons, and floats pulling up for the lake-party version of the 4th. Noon–3pm, free merch giveaways, and donations benefit Remarkable Inc., which supports adults with diverse abilities. Bring your own boat or find a friend with one.
Thursday Events
Children's Chorus Camp Concert — Appleton 🎵 | Thu Jul 2 | 4–5pm | TBD | Free end-of-camp concert by a children's chorus. · details →
Doty Island History Walk — Neenah 🏛️ | Thu Jul 2 | 8am | Doty Island | Free guided history walk. · details →
Adventures in the Park — Horseshoe Park — Kaukauna 👧 | Thu Jul 2 | 10am | Horseshoe Park | Free outdoor kids activity. · details →
Heid Music Summer Concert Series — Appleton 🎤 | Thu Jul 2 | 5:30–8:30pm | Jones Park | Free weekly outdoor concert series. Bring a lawn chair. · details →
Beachfront Avenue — Menasha 🎤 | Thu Jul 2 | 5:30–9pm | Waverly Beach | Live music — rock, country, oldies and hip hop mix. · details →
The Big Cheese Laugh-Off — Appleton 😂 | Thu Jul 2 | 7pm | Skyline Comedy Club | Multi-night comedy competition. Limited $7 tickets. · tickets →
Open Make Night — Appleton 🛠️ | Thu Jul 2 | 7–9pm | Appleton Makerspace | Open studio night. · details →
Friday Events
⭐ Festival Foods Fireworks – Appleton — Appleton 🎆 | Fri Jul 3 | 9:45pm | Veterans Memorial Park | Appleton's 4th of July fireworks show, presented by Festival Foods. Free. · details →
Party on the Pond — Appleton 🎆 | Fri Jul 3 | 4:30–9pm | Town Square | Independence Day kickoff event. · details →
⭐ CommunityFest Parade of Lights — Neenah 🎆 | Fri Jul 3 | 9–11pm | Downtown Neenah | Kicks off the Neenah/Menasha CommunityFest 4th of July celebration. Route: Main St, Wisconsin Ave to Commercial onto Washington into Menasha. · details →
Fireworks – Kimberly — Kimberly 🎆 | Fri Jul 3 | 9:30pm | Sunset Park | 4th of July fireworks show. Free. · details →
LIVE MUSIC: Charlieboy — Appleton 🎤 | Fri Jul 3 | 7–9pm | McFleshman's Brewing Co. | La Crosse indie/art rock band plays the Summer Music Series. · details →
J+ Band (Red, White & Beach kickoff) — Menasha 🎤 | Fri Jul 3 | 6:30–10pm | Waverly Beach | Father-daughter acoustic/electric duo kicks off Waverly's 4th of July weekend. · details →
Street Music Week — Appleton 🎤 | Fri Jul 3 | noon–1pm | Downtown Appleton (various locations) | Free daily lunchtime street music series. · details →
Brent Bel & The Boys @ Sunset on the Water (Taycheedah) — Fond du Lac 🎤 | Fri Jul 3 | 5–9pm | Sunset on the Water Grill & Bar | Country music kickoff to Independence Day — 'Happy 250 America!' Music video release party. Stick around after the show for a fireworks grand finale. [Jake's FB pick] · Facebook event →
Post-Game Friday Fireworks (Dock Spiders) — Fond du Lac ⚾ | Fri Jul 3 | 6:35–9:35pm | 980 E Division St. | Fireworks following the Dock Spiders' Friday home game, sponsored by Culver's. [Jake's FB pick] · Facebook event →
Saturday Events
Downtown Appleton Farm Market — July 4th Special — Appleton 🥬 | Sat Jul 4 | 8am–12:30pm | College Avenue | 100+ vendors: produce, handcrafted items, baked goods, flowers, hot food, coffee, meats and cheese. Free. · details →
⭐ CommunityFest 4th of July — Neenah 🎆 | Sat Jul 4 | all day | Riverside Park | Full day of 4th of July festivities co-sponsored by Neenah and Menasha, capped by fireworks in the evening. Free. · details →
Fireworks – Neenah — Neenah 🎆 | Sat Jul 4 | 9:45pm | Riverside Park | 4th of July fireworks show, part of CommunityFest. Free. · details →
Neenah Community Band Summer Concert — Neenah 🎺 | Sat Jul 4 | 7:30–8:30pm | Riverside Park Pavilion | 4th of July community band concert. Free. · details →
Future Neenah Farmers Market — Holiday Edition — Neenah 🥬 | Sat Jul 4 | 8am–noon | Shattuck Park | Weekly outdoor farmers market, running on the 4th of July. Free. · details →
Fireworks – Menasha — Menasha 🎆 | Sat Jul 4 | 9:50pm | Jefferson Park | 4th of July fireworks show. Free. ⚠️ Date conflict: fox11online.com lists this under Friday 7/3 instead of Saturday 7/4 — verify before publish. · details →
Laser Spirit: A Patriotic Laser Experience — Menasha ✨ | Sat Jul 4 | 2:30pm & 7pm | Barlow Planetarium | One-day-only patriotic laser show set to Madonna, U2, Yanni, John Williams, Kansas and The Beatles. $13; group discount for 10+. · details →
Endgame (Red, White & Beach) — Menasha 🎤 | Sat Jul 4 | 4–7:30pm | Waverly Beach | Classic rock band playing 60s–90s hits. · details →
⭐ 4th of July at Menominee Park (Fireworks – Oshkosh) — Oshkosh 🎆 | Sat Jul 4 | 9am–10pm, fireworks at dusk (~9:45pm) | Menominee Park | Full day of festivities: Lakefly Cafe (10am–6pm), Menominee Park Train (10am–6pm), Menominee Park Zoo (9am–6pm), Food Truck Rally (3–10pm), Reetz Concessions (4–10pm), capped by Festival Foods fireworks. Hosted by City of Oshkosh Park Services & Events and community partners. Free. [Jake's FB pick — enriched with fuller details] · Facebook event →
250th Birthday Celebration & Fireworks — New London 🎆 | Sat Jul 4 | afternoon games/crafts/music, fireworks 9:30pm | Hatten Stadium | Celebrate the nation's 250th birthday — lawn games, crafts, music by YoDJ, concessions, and fireworks. · Facebook event →
Fireworks at the Ballpark (Timber Rattlers) — Appleton ⚾ | Sat Jul 4 | 6:40–9pm | Neuroscience Group Field, Fox Cities Stadium | Wisconsin Timber Rattlers home game with post-game fireworks show. · tickets →
⭐ 2026 Barge Party feat. Dustin Lee — Fremont 🛥️ | Sat Jul 4 | noon–3pm | Partidge Lake Sandbar | Wisconsin's Ultimate 4th of July Lake Party — live music by Dustin Lee performed right on the barge, boats & pontoons, floats, cold drinks, free merch giveaways, patriotic atmosphere. Donations benefit Remarkable Inc., supporting adults with diverse abilities. [Jake's FB pick] · Facebook event →
Sunday Events
Fireworks at the Ballpark (Timber Rattlers) — Appleton ⚾ | Sun Jul 5 | 6:40–9pm | Neuroscience Group Field, Fox Cities Stadium | Wisconsin Timber Rattlers home game with post-game fireworks show. · tickets →
Cordell Winter (Red, White & Beach) — Menasha 🎤 | Sun Jul 5 | 2:30–6pm | Waverly Beach | Singer-songwriter and poet closes out Waverly's 4th of July weekend. · details →
Lawrence University Jazz Quartet: Spring Session — Neenah 🎷 | Sun Jul 5 | 2pm | Neenah Public Library | The Lawrence University Student Jazz Quartet returns to the library. · details →
Live @ Tanners — Kimberly 🎸 | Sun Jul 5 | 5–8pm | Tanners Grill and Bar | A night of Rock N' Roll with E'nuff Said, playing outside starting at 5pm. Food, cold drinks, favorite rock songs. [Jake's FB pick] · Facebook event →
📅 Coming Up This Week
TUE JUL 7
Stone Arch Sessions: Brass Queens — Appleton 🎤 | Tue Jul 7 | 7–9pm | Stone Arch Brewpub | Live music session. · details →
Dee Alexander – Chicago's Queen of Blues, Soul & Jazz — Appleton 🎷 | Tue Jul 7 | 7–8:30pm | Gibson Music Hall (unverified) | Chicago's legendary singer/songwriter in concert. ⚠️ Venue attribution conflicts with scrape-sources reference (flagged as inactive) — verify before publish. · details →
WED JUL 8
Farmers Market — Kaukauna 🥬 | Wed Jul 8 | 4:30–8pm | Downtown Kaukauna | Weekly Wednesday farmers market. Free. · details →
Live! from Hydro — Kaukauna 🎤 | Wed Jul 8 | 5:30–8:30pm | Hydro Park | Free outdoor summer concert series. · details →
Evening Concert Series — Neenah 🎤 | Wed Jul 8 | 6–8pm | Shattuck Park | Free summer evening concert series. · details →
Bang for Your Buck (Timber Rattlers) — Appleton ⚾ | Wed Jul 8 | 6:40–9pm | Fox Cities Stadium | Timber Rattlers home game promotional night. · tickets →
Concerts in the Courtyard: Phillip-Michael Scales — Appleton 🎤 | Wed Jul 8 | 5:30–7:30pm | Hilton Appleton Paper Valley Hotel | Free outdoor concert series in the hotel courtyard. · details →
Open Mic & Artist Spotlight: Cheeky Ceramics — Appleton 🎤 | Wed Jul 8 | 7–9pm | McFleshman's Brewing | Open mic night with featured artist spotlight. · details →
THU JUL 9
Rob Brackenridge — Appleton 😂 | Thu Jul 9 | TBD | Skyline Comedy Club | Stand-up comedy. · details →
Lifest 2026 kicks off — Oshkosh 🎸 | Thu Jul 9 | 4-day pass starts | Sunnyview Fairgrounds & Expo Center | Major Christian music festival kicking off a 4-day run — Rend Collective, KB, Skillet, Leanna Crawford and more. · details →
🌅 On the Horizon
Filthy Fun Run — Neenah 🏃 | Sat Jul 11 | O'Hauser Park | Obstacle / mud run. $20–$40. · details →
Cars Celebration Night at the Ballpark — Appleton ⚾ | Sat Jul 18 | 6:40–9pm | Fox Cities Stadium | Timber Rattlers promotional night themed around Pixar's Cars. · tickets →
BFK Children's Parade — Appleton 👧 | Wed Jul 22 | 6–8pm | Houdini Plaza | Building for Kids Children's Museum's annual children's parade through downtown Appleton. · details →
Symphony Under the Stars — Appleton 🎻 | Fri Jul 24 | 7:30pm | Fox Cities Stadium (Neuroscience Group Field) | Free family concert from the Fox Valley Symphony with music, food, and fireworks. · tickets →
Whatever you're doing for the 4th, hope it's a good one — plenty of fireworks to pick from if you want to stay local, or a full day at the park if you're making a thing of it. If you catch something worth talking about, hit reply and let me know. See you next Thursday.
— Jake