Beginning July 3, local towns will gear up for the Fourth of July and continue celebrating through the weekend. Bricelyn and Northwood’s annual festivals promise parades, good food, and plenty of activities to entertain the whole family.

Albert Lea’s main Fourth of July attraction is the Jaycees’ parade held this evening, which starts at 6:30 p.m. It will be the largest Third of July parade ever in Albert Lea, with more than 170 units participating and around 20,000 spectators anticipated.

Here is a list events on tap for the long holiday weekend:

Thursday, July 4:

– Red, White and Blues Festival at Harmony Park in Geneva. The first two-day blues festival will feature Lamont Cranston, Ross William Perry, Big George Jackson, and others. Tickets are $50 for the concert and camping. For more information check out www.redwhiteandbluesfestival.com.

– Albert Lea’s annual fireworks display will begin at dusk. The display promises more than 300 fireworks to be launched from the city beach.

– Northwood’s annual Fourth of July festival starts early with a pancake breakfast from 7-10 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Northwood. The parade through downtown will start at 11 a.m., followed by bingo, food and games at Swensrud Park. The beer garden will open at 1 p.m., with a fishing contest in the park scheduled at 1 p.m. also. At 2 p.m. Ms. Northwood and Little Ms. Northwood will be crowned in Swensrud Park followed by the citizenship awards. Swimming pool games start at 5 p.m. at the city pool. Local musician Ben Hengesteg will perform at the Worth County fairgrounds at 8 p.m., following the music will be the firemen’s raffle and then the fireworks display.

Friday, July 5:

– Red, White and Blues Festival at Harmony Park in Geneva. The two-day blues fest will feature Lamont Cranston, Ross William Perry, Big George Jackson, and others. Tickets are $50 for the concert and camping, for more information check out www.redwhiteandbluesfestival.com.

– Northwood’s Fourth of July celebration continues. The beer garden will open at 4 p.m. At 6 p.m. Northwood cub scouts will hold a pine wood derby, afterwards the &uot;Bash a Car&uot; fundraiser will be held. Entrants pay to hit an old car with a sledge hammer, with proceeds going to benefit the cub scouts. A street dance in downtown Northwood caps off the festivities . Organizers will accept free-will donations for admission, music by Nate and the Moonlighters starting at 8 p.m.

– The Pelican Breeze will hold a Friday night pizza cruise at 6 p.m. Reservations are required. Call (507) 383-2630.

– The Minnesota Festival Theatre production of &uot;Crimes of the Heart&uot; will be presented at the Albert Lea Civic Theatre at 7:30 p.m. For tickets, call 377-4371.

– Bricelyn’s 45th Annual Independence Day Celebration kicks off with a community variety show set for 7 p.m. in the Bricelyn School auditorium. Admission is $1. After the show, a pie and ice cream social will be held in the Bricelyn Lutheran Church social hall.

Saturday, July 6:

– The Albert Lea Farmers’ Market will be held in the parking lot at the corner of Broadway Avenue and Water Street beginning at 9 a.m.

– The Doc Evans Jazz Festival will entertain crowds at Fountain Lake Park Gazebo from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Three bands are set to play the festival. The Mouldy Fig Jazz Band will play from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; the Barbary Coast Dixieland Band will play from 1-3 p.m.; the Blue Ox Jazz Babies will play from 3-5 p.m.

– The Pelican Breeze will hold a public cruise at 2 p.m.

– Bricelyn’s Independence Day Festival continues. The highlight of the festival, the chicken barbecue will be held from 4-7 p.m. Saturday begins with a garden tour at 9 a.m. through some of the community’s most beautiful lawns. By 1 p.m. that afternoon, a parade will make its way down Main Street. Following the parade is a horse show at Dr. Jack Peterson’s arena. A water show begins at 7 p.m. in the Bricelyn pool and the fun continues with The Halbrooks magic and illusion show titled “How’s Tricks?” in the Bricelyn School auditorium from 8-9 p.m. A street dance at the Bricelyn Pub is scheduled to follow the fireworks display.

– The Minnesota Festival Theatre production of &uot;Crimes of the Heart&uot; will be presented at the Albert Lea Civic Theatre at 2:00 p.m. For tickets, call 377-4371.

Sunday, July 7:

– The Family Tradition Band will present its weekly free program of live music beginning at 1:30 p.m. in the Edgewater Park bandshell. The band’s two hour set list includes popular country music, polkas, waltzes and gospel songs. The program is sponsored by the Albert Lea Federation of Musicians Local 567 and the city of Albert Lea.

– The Pelican Breeze will hold a public cruise at 2 p.m.

– Bricelyn’s Independence Day festival continues with a community church worship service at 9 a.m. at the Bricelyn park.