NC 4th of July Festival

Flag Raising Ceremony
2025-07-04 10:30 - 11:00 (America/New_York) | Intersection of Moore and Howe Streets, Southport, 28461, United States

Reading of the Declaration
2025-07-04 10:15 - 10:30 | Intersection of Moore and Howe Streets, Southport, 28461, United States

Arts & Crafts
2025-07-04 10:00 - 21:00, 2025-07-03 10:00 - 19:00 | Bay Street, 203 E BAY ST, SOUTHPORT, NC, 28461, United States
Sponsored by Beach Road Furniture.

Festival Merchandise Tent Open
2025-07-04 10:00 - 19:00 | NC
Southport Waterfront, with Arts & Craft Booths.

Summer Regional Art Show
2025-07-04 10:00 - 17:00, 2025-07-03 10:00 - 17:00 | Franklin Square Gallery, 130 E West St, Southport, NC, 28461, United States
Hosted by The Associated Artists of Southport.

Historic Chapel of the Cross Self-Guided Tours
2025-07-04 10:00 - 13:00 | Saint Philip’s Chapel of the Cross, 203 E Moore St, SOUTHPORT, NC, 28461, United States

Trolley Available from Southport Elementary
2025-07-04 09:00 - 23:00, 2025-07-03 10:00 - 23:00 | Southport Elementery School, 701 W 9th St, Southport, NC, 28461, United States
Sponsored by Bald Head Island Limited, LLC and Intracoastal Realty Corporation.
Want to beat the traffic and get straight to the fun? Park and ride from Southport Elementary School! It’s easy, stress-free, and gets you right to the heart of the festival action. Skip the parking hunt!

Pancake Breakfast
2025-07-04 07:00 - 10:30 | Trinity Methodist Church, 209 E Nash St, Southport, NC, 28461, United States
Hosted by Trinity United Methodist Church.

Waterfront Stage Entertainment & Street Dance - Sleeping Booty
2025-07-03 19:00 - 22:00 | Waterfront Park, 146 E Bay St, Southport, NC, 28461, United States
Sponsored by State Port Pilot.
Sleeping Booty
July 3 – 7:00–10:00 p.m.
Waterfront Stage, Southport, NC
Get ready to bring the funk, flash, and full-throttle fun to your Fourth of July with Sleeping Booty—a powerhouse 11-piece band that knows how to throw the ultimate party. Closing out Southport’s Independence Day festivities in high style, Sleeping Booty delivers a choreographed, high-energy performance packed with nonstop music, dazzling costumes, and irresistible grooves.
With a lineup that includes guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, horns, percussion, and four dynamic lead vocalists, Sleeping Booty blends soul, funk, pop, disco, and dance into one electrifying show. Their three-hour marathon-style medleys mean the beat never stops, and neither will your feet.
Known for their over-the-top showmanship, tight arrangements, and jaw-dropping vocals, the band has shared stages with legends like Parliament/Funkadelic, KC and the Sunshine Band, Earth, Wind & Fire, The B-52s, and Huey Lewis. From choreographed moves to ever-changing wardrobes—including their iconic “Booty wear”—this group turns every performance into a spectacular event.
Performing together since 1999, Sleeping Booty has built a loyal following by bringing their vibrant, feel-good energy to major festivals, corporate galas, and celebrations across the country. Whether you’re a die-hard disco fan or just in it for the fireworks, their show is the perfect way to end your July 4th on a high note.
So gather your crew, hit the dance floor, and let Sleeping Booty funk up your Fourth!

Waterfront Stage Entertainment - The Rick Cannon Band
2025-07-03 15:00 - 18:00 | Waterfront Park, 146 E Bay St, Southport, NC, 28461, United States
Sponsored by State Port Pilot.
The Rick Cannon Band
July 3 – 3:00–6:00 p.m.
Waterfront Stage, Southport, NC
Bringing sun-soaked stories and Americana soul to the Southport waterfront is The Rick Cannon Band, fronted by South Carolina singer-songwriter Rick Cannon. With a sound that journeys “Carolina to California,” Cannon’s music is a heartfelt blend of roots rock, folk, and coastal country, perfect for an afternoon by the water.
Rick Cannon’s songwriting stands at the center of his performance—authentic, melodic, and steeped in the spirit of the American road. His debut album, Carolina to California, paints vivid pictures of life, love, and travel, while his recent singles, “Longboarder from England” and “Song for Our Daughters,” showcase his evolving sound and lyrical depth.
With a voice as warm as a Southern breeze and a band that knows how to groove, The Rick Cannon Band creates a live experience that’s as much about connection as it is about music. Whether you’re hearing him for the first time or already have his CD in your collection, Rick’s performance promises to strike a chord with fans of Americana, country rock, and heartfelt storytelling.
Don’t miss this musical journey on July 3—grab a lawn chair, a cold drink, and let The Rick Cannon Band take you across the map without ever leaving the Southport waterfront.

Meet Miss NC
2025-07-03 14:00 - 14:30 | Fort Johnston-Southport Visitors Center and Museum, 203 E BAY ST, SOUTHPORT, NC, 28461, United States
Fort Johnston Garrison Lawn.

Flag Retirement Ceremony
2025-07-03 14:00 | Waterfront Park, 146 E Bay St, Southport, NC, 28461, United States
Organized by Richard H. Stewart Jr., American Legion Post 543, and Cape Fear Council of Boy Scouts.

Old Brunswick Jail Open
2025-07-03 12:30 - 15:30 | Old Brunswick Jail, 318 E Nash St, Southport, NC, 28461, United States
Hosted by the Southport Historical Society.

Cape Fear Radio hosting at Waterfront stage
2025-07-03 12:00 - 15:00 | Waterfront Park, 146 E Bay St, Southport, NC, 28461, United States

Naturalization Ceremony
2025-07-03 12:00 - 13:45 | Fort Johnston-Southport Visitors Center and Museum, 203 E BAY ST, SOUTHPORT, NC, 28461, United States
Keynote Speaker, Dr. Aswani Volety, UNCW Chamcellor. Sponsored and organized by Downtown Southport, Inc

Food Concessions
2025-07-03 11:00 - 22:00 | Howe Street, 116 S Howe St, Southport, NC, 28461, United States

Humphrey Honey Bunny Farm Traveling Petting Zoo
2025-07-03 11:00 - 16:00 | Taylor Field, 409 E Nash St, Southport, NC, 28461, United States

Kid Zone at Taylor Field
2025-07-03 11:00 - 16:00 | Taylor Field, 409 E Nash St, Southport, NC, 28461, United States
Inflatables, water slides, and kid-centric vendors.

440th Army Band
2025-07-03 11:00 - 12:00 | Fort Johnston-Southport Visitors Center and Museum, 203 E BAY ST, SOUTHPORT, NC, 28461, United States
The Festival is thrilled to host the 440th Army Band, a unique ensemble that serves as both the NC National Guard Ceremonial Band and Marching Band.
The 440th Army Ceremonial Band is a band of forty citizen soldiers committed to supporting Soldiers of the NCNG—the 440th Army Band as a concert band, marching band, and several smaller performance teams. The Festival is honored to have the band perform.

Festival Merchandise Tent Open
2025-07-03 10:00 - 19:00 | Bay Street, 203 E BAY ST, SOUTHPORT, NC, 28461, United States

NC Maritime Museum Open
2025-07-03 10:00 - 17:00 | NC Maritime Museum at Southport, 204 E Moore St, SOUTHPORT, NC, 28461, United States

The Tunnel to Towers 9/11 NEVER FORGET Mobile Exhibit
2025-07-03 10:00 - 16:00 | Southport Fire Department Downtown Substation, 111 E Nash St, Southport, NC, 28461, United States
Hosted by the Southport Fire Department. Sponsored by Southport Cares.

Meet Miss NC
2025-07-03 10:00 - 10:30 | Fort Johnston-Southport Visitors Center and Museum, 203 E BAY ST, SOUTHPORT, NC, 28461, United States

Children’s Games hosted by the City of Southport Parks & Recreation
2025-07-03 08:00 - 10:00 | Fort Johnston-Southport Visitors Center and Museum, 203 E BAY ST, SOUTHPORT, NC, 28461, United States
Hosted by the City of Southport Parks & Recreation.
Registration opens at 8:00 AM. Games start at 9:00 AM.

Waterfront Stage Entertainment - The Embers
2025-07-02 19:00 - 22:00 | Waterfront Park, 146 E Bay St, Southport, NC, 28461, United States
Sponsored by the State Port Pilot.
The Embers
July 2 – 7:00–10:00 p.m.
Waterfront Stage, Southport, NC
One of most prominent, successful and long-running bands playing beach music is The Embers, led by drummer Bobby Tomlinson, with Craig Woolard, Jeff Grimes, Andy Swindell, Stephen Pachuta, Hugh Blanton and Bobby Nantz, They have recorded 17 albums and numerous singles, while continuing to perform about 300 dates a year. Specializing in R&B and blue-eyed soul, The Embers bring back memories for those who sang and danced to the 1960s and 1970s sounds of The Four Tops, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, James Brown, Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Wilson Pickett, the Righteous Brothers, The Drifters, Arthur Alexander, Solomon Burke, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, Ben E. King, Etta James. The Embers’ influence extends far beyond the East Coast beaches. The group tours throughout the South, into Canada and out to California, singing songs their audiences love and remember. The Embers have been named North Carolina’s Official Musical Ambassadors. They were inducted into the South Carolina Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame, opened for the Rolling Stones, featured in commercials for Budweiser and Pepsi, played at the Olympics,and performed at President Clinton’s Inauguration. The Embers perform classic R&B with high octane waves of sound, bringing the beach to wherever they play. It’s a sound deeply embedded in the past, present, and future of North Carolina music.

A Salute to Veterans
2025-07-02 18:00 | Southport Community Building, 223 E Bay St, Southport, NC, 28461, United States
Organized by River Road Animal Hospital
SALUTE TO VETERANS – PROGRAM ANNOUNCED
Honoring Service with Strength and Courage
The North Carolina 4th of July Festival is proud to announce this year’s Salute to Veterans program, taking place on Tuesday, July 2, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at the Southport Community Building. This annual tradition allows the community to come together to honor the men and women who have served our country. This program is organized by River Road Animal Hospital.
The 2025 Salute to Veterans will feature a keynote address by Col. James ‘Jim’ Czarnik, M.D. a retired U.S. Army Colonel with more than 34 years of distinguished service. A Soldier, Ranger, Officer, and emergency medicine physician, Dr. Czarnik has led on some of the world’s most complex stages—from combat zones to humanitarian missions.
Throughout his remarkable career, Dr. Czarnik has overseen the readiness of over 35,000 Special Operations Forces, served during the Ebola crisis in Liberia, and contributed to global diplomatic efforts. His leadership has shaped teams across continents, and his message continues to inspire. At this year’s event, he will share his powerful reflections on “Courageous Vulnerability”—a compelling look at the strength found in openness and resilience.
Salute to Veterans remains a cornerstone of the NC 4th of July Festival, offering a moment of reflection amid the celebrations to remember and thank those who have served and sacrificed. We invite all veterans, their families, and members of the community to attend this moving program.

Cape Fear Radio at Southport Waterfront Park Stage
2025-07-02 17:30 - 19:00 | Waterfront Park, 146 E Bay St, Southport, NC, 28461, United States
