Big city 4th of July celebrations are always large productions with parades, and music, and massive fireworks displays. None probably more so than the party on the National Mall in Washington, DC where tens of thousands gather annually. If, however, you’ve chosen to get away to Gay Street Inn around the 4th, you’ll find that while the festivities in and around Little Washington may be less heavily attended and the fireworks slightly less grand, there’s still something extra special about how a small town celebrates Independence Day.

This year, the party begins in Little Washington on Sunday, July 1st, with the American Festival Concert at Avon Hall, a manor home just down the street from Gay Street Inn that has played host to many community gatherings throughout its long life. The historic home with its rolling lawn and large pond will serve as the perfect amphitheater for the sounds of the John Bourgeois Concert Ban, directed by Rappahannock’s own Col. John Bourgeois, the 25th Director of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band. Neighbors and visitors alike are encouraged to bring a chair or blanket and a picnic lunch and enjoy the show, free of charge. The lawn will open at 3PM, and the concert will begin at 5PM.

If you’re visiting over the 4th, be sure to attend Rappahannock County’s official 4th of July Celebration at Ben Venue Farm, in nearby Flint Hill. You can find everything from face painting to antique tractors and other Americana on display. Plenty of delicious food will be on hand, and music will be provided by Bobby G and Friends and Gold Top County Ramblers. The fireworks, considered some of the most spectacular of any rural county in Virginia, will begin at dusk.