All Fired Up for the 2012 Fourth of July Festivities

The Fourth of July means barbecues, beaches and fireworks and this sparkling, food-filled holiday is right around the corner.

In an effort to keep you from wandering around looking for Independence Day fun next week, Patch has pulled together this guide of events taking place in Fox Point and Bayside, along with .

Fourth of July Festivities in Fox Point

The annual parade will kick off at the , traveling north on Santa Monica Boulevard to Lombardy Road, west on Lombardy Road to Bell Road and back east on Bell Road to the Longacre Pavilion.

In addition to the traditional festivities, Sapphire the Dragon and members of the Dragon Dash committee will be marching in the parade as well.

A jazz quartet, free ice cream and beverages will be available. The annual softball game will also take place, featuring village residents against the Fox Point Police. Kids will have an opportunity to jump around in a bounce house, play with clowns, and get their faces painted.

Bayside Independence Day Blowout

Bayside will host its own parade, also beginning at 9 a.m., at . Anyone is welcome to join the parade and if they're interested, are asked to be at the middle school by 8:45 a.m. Kids participating are encouraged to decorate their bikes for the celebration. 

The parade will end at with an ice cream social and Bayside's Best Dog competition, sponsored by .

Fantastic Fireworks

While neither Fox Point nor Bayside host their own fire works displays, we've pulled together a list of many nearby locations that are all fired up for the fourth and ready to set fire to the sky:

Whitefish Bay:

• There's a big celebration for Independence Day in the Bay at Klode Park beginning with a parade at 11:30 a.m., followed by a flag-raising ceremony, kid's games, live music entertainment and plenty of quality food vendors. Finally, at dusk, check out the fireworks sponsored by Sendik's.

Milwaukee:

• Milwaukee County Parks will put on their own fireworks show — the US Bank Fireworks at the Lakefront — on the Fourth of July beginning at 9:15 p.m. on July 3.

Find our complete list of Fourth of July events around