The 4th of July will bring communities together once again in 2015.

The annual Celebrate Clinton 4th of July Celebration on the square gets going bright and early Saturday.

Things kick off at 8 am with a free breakfast on the square served by the Fire Department and Police Department.

At 8:45 am, there will be a flag raising conducted by the color guard and Clinton's Marcia Wise will sing the national anthem.

Live music will be playing throughout the day and that gets underway at 9:30 with Me N' Him.

There will also be food vendors scattered across the square along with art and craft booths. Additionally, the always popular dunk tank, baloon artists, and face painting will go on throughout the day with local dignitaries and leaders taking turns at the dunk tank.

At 11:15, the next musical act, Sugar Creek Cloggers, will hit the stage.

There will be a donut eating contest at 11:30 am followed by the pie and salsa judging at noon.

At 1 pm, the Flying Nelson Brothers will take to the stage and the kids pedal tractor pull contest will start at 1:15 pm.

The annual watermelon eating contest starts at 2 pm, the shopping cart races are at 3 pm, and the day concludes with the Green Diamond Express on the square stage at 3:30 pm.

Fireworks in Clinton are scheduled for dusk with a rain date of Sunday night.

Elsewhere across the area this 4th of July weekend...

In Monticello, their annual Freedom Fest opens at 4 pm. There will be food vendors, camel rides, pony rides, inflatables, kids games and spectacular fireworks display.

Everything takes place at Lodge Park on Route 47.

The Lincoln Park District in Lincoln will be hosting a children's walking parade with registration at 9 am and judging at 9:30 am. Kids are encouraged to dress up and decorate bikes or other recreational items and parents are encouraged to walk with their kids starting at Scully Park and the parade route ends at the Part District at 1400 Railer Way.

Fireworks in Lincoln will go off at dusk from the Park District as well.

At Bloomington's Miller Park Zoo Friday and Saturday night at 7 pm, the Miller Park Bandstand will be filled with some of Bloomington's favorite musical ensembles, dancers and actors performing songs of Americana, celebration and patriotism. This production is free and appropriate for all ages. The 4th of July show is immediately followed by the outstanding fireworks display at Miller Park Lake.

Saturday at the Park in Bloomington on Saturday morning at 7:30 am, the annual Bloomington and Normal Parks and Recreation department are hosting the annual Lake Run, visit www.lakerunclub.org for more information.

From 6-8:30 at Fairview Park in Normal, a pre-fireworks concert featuring the Bygones will be held to be followed at 9 pm by the city display of fireworks.

Fairview Park is at 801 North Main Street in Normal.