Not a fan of fireworks? Try other family-friendly July 4 activities in the Bloomington area

Christine Stephenson, The Herald-Times
·4 min read

The Fourth of July weekend is set to be one of the busiest in Monroe County, from fireworks and parades to the Monroe County 4-H Fair. There are plenty of activities for families with kids of all ages over the long weekend — including many that are free and some that are outside the county, for those looking to escape the crowds.

More: When are the Fourth of July fireworks in the Bloomington area?

The following are free activities coming up in or around Monroe County:

The Ron Brown Insurance entry earned first place in the comedy division at the Linton Freedom Festival Parade on July 4, 2007.
The Ron Brown Insurance entry earned first place in the comedy division at the Linton Freedom Festival Parade on July 4, 2007.

Linton Freedom Festival Parade

Billed as “Indiana’s largest Independence Day parade,” the Fourth of July parade brings nearly 40,000 people to Linton every year, according to the Linton Freedom Festival website.

Sponsored by the Linton-Stockton Chamber of Commerce, the festival begins July 1 and runs through July 9. The parade begins at 10 a.m. July 4 in downtown Linton. The festival also features a carnival, live bands, a lip sync contest and horse pull and a fireworks show, which will begin at 10:30 p.m.

A full schedule of the festival is available on the Linton Freedom Festival website.

Brittany Sparks, left, and Sarah Cobine of the Eastern Greene County High School Thunderbird marching band, take a much needed rest while waiting for the Linton Freedom Festival on July 4, 2017.
Brittany Sparks, left, and Sarah Cobine of the Eastern Greene County High School Thunderbird marching band, take a much needed rest while waiting for the Linton Freedom Festival on July 4, 2017.

Sculpture Trail Outdoor Museum

This trail, at 6764 North Tree Farm Road in Solsberry, is over 3 miles long and displays more than 100 sculptures from artists around the world.

The trail is open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for guided and self-guided tours. The trail is described on the museum website as moderately difficult, so visitors should wear sturdy shoes. Benches are located throughout the trail for anyone who needs a break. Families of all ages are welcome, but dogs are not allowed.

More information about the museum and other events coming later in July, such as the annual aluminum pours, is available on the trail's website.

More to do: WildCare Inc. benefit at Butler Winery among things to do around Bloomington this weekend

Free admittance to Bloomington city pools

Children and adults can take a dip for free at either the Bryan Park or Mills Park city pools on July 4.

More: Here's where you can go to swim, cool off for the summer in Monroe County

Flora Field Day

If parents are lucky enough to continue the long weekend into Tuesday, July 5, Bloomington’s Flora Field Day will take place Tuesday from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Stillwater-Northfork Waterfowl Resting Area.

Recommended for anyone 12 and older, a naturalist will help participants hone their flora identification skills. No prior experience is required, and the naturalist will work with each participant based on their experience level. The free event “opens the door to identifying thousands of species,” according to the Facebook event page.

Registration is required by July 3. Those interested can register at bit.ly/florafield-jul2022.

Participants should bring bug spray, a hat and sunglasses and enough water to stay hydrated. Cameras are also allowed.

Find Waldo Morgan County

Throughout the month of July, this free event will involve stops at the dozens of shops and businesses in downtown Martinsville to find Waldo. Participants can pick up a Where’s Waldo passport at the Fables and Fairy Tales bookstore starting July 1.

All participating merchants will have a Waldo at their location. When participants find a Waldo, they can get a store stamp or signature on their passport or take a photo with the Waldo and earn prizes. The Waldo grand celebration and prize drawing is planned for the beginning of August, but the date has not been set yet.

On the Rocks stage at Hard Truth Distilling Co.'s Nashville property will be where eight bands perform as part of Hard Trust Fest, which runs July 1-4.
On the Rocks stage at Hard Truth Distilling Co.'s Nashville property will be where eight bands perform as part of Hard Trust Fest, which runs July 1-4.

Hard Truth Fest happening in Nashville

Hard Truth Distilling Co. will host its first Hard Truth Fest July 1-4 with eight bands performing on the On the Rocks stage. The lineup begins 7-10 p.m. July 1 with the Jack Whittle Trio. The David Ackerman Duo performs 11 a.m.-2 p.m. July 2, followed by Gary Applegate and Joe Rock 3-6 p.m. and She Loves Horses: A Tom Petty Tribute Band 7-10 p.m. July 3 performers are Gabe Sigler from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Current Entertainment 2-5 p.m. and Kickitlester from 6 to 9 p.m. Scapper and Blackwell will perform 11 a.m.-2 p.m. July 4.

Daily activities at local libraries

The Monroe County Public Library and other local library branches have daily activities for kids of all ages, including the Fourth of July weekend.

Some MCPL events coming up are a sensory playtime for children up to age 2 at 10:30 a.m. Saturday and a preschool story time at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

The Ellettsville Branch Library will host a Mario Kart tournament for anyone ages 12 through 19 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Check each local library branch’s Facebook page for information about additional upcoming events.

Contact Christine Stephenson at cstephenson@heraldt.com.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Things to do around Bloomington on Fourth of July weekend