Looking for fireworks, parades or other Fourth of July holiday events? Here's what's happening in the area:

TODAY AND SATURDAY

Akron — The Rib, White & Blue festival, Main Street between Bowery and State streets and Lock 3 Live, next to Civic Theatre. Concerts, kiddie rides, inflatables and food concessions, including barbecue vendors. Free admission before 1 p.m. today and Saturday, $5 after 1 p.m.. Hours are noon to 10 p.m. today and noon to 11 p.m. Saturday. Free parking available in all city-owned lots.

Entertainment today: Zydeco Kings, 3 p.m.; Mo' Mojo Mama, 4:30 p.m.; Dirty Dozen Brass Band, 7:30 p.m.

Entertainment Saturday: Rare Blend, 3 p.m.; Horns and Things, 6 p.m.; Kevin Eubanks (Jay Leno's band leader), 9 p.m.

Aurora — Aurora Farms Premium Outlets on state Route 43 will present free patriotic musical entertainment. North Coast POPS will perform in the gazebo near Saks Fifth Avenue from 2 to 4 p.m. today. The Progressive Field Band will perform from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday. Lawn chairs permitted.

Orrville — Carnival Midway with rides, games and food at Orr Park, noon to 11 p.m. today and Saturday. Firecracker 5K Run/1 mile Fun Run at 8:30 a.m. today. Concert at the Carnival with local band 1803 at 8 p.m. Saturday. ASA Girls Fast Pitch Softball Tournament through Sunday. Fireworks at 10 p.m. Saturday.
TODAY

Akron — Celebration at Martin Luther King Jr. Freeway (Cascade Plaza exit) at 7:30 p.m. with Soul'd Out. Fireworks at 9:45 p.m., synchronized to music. WKDD (98.1-FM) will broadcast 9 to 11 p.m. Rain date is Saturday.

Akron's Castle Park neighborhood — Parade at 10:30 a.m. on Castle Boulevard in West Akron, starting at Dartmouth Avenue and Castle. Castle closed to traffic from Dartmouth to Garman Road from 10 a.m. to noon. Registration, 10 to 10:25 a.m., 50-cent fee. Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and military veterans invited to march. Prizes for most patriotically creative in bikes and trikes, wagons and strollers, walkers and in-line skaters, best themed group.

Akron — Fourth of July Party at Musica, 51 E. Market St., from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. Free music and entertainment, with five bands — Singular, Nathan Corsi Band, League of Proper Musicians, Speed Bumps and Andy Dolson with Jonathan Penn. Uncorked bar open at Mocha Maiden. Traditional cookout foods available for purchase.

Akron — Northside Blues Festival, off North Main and Furnace streets, from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. Live music. Free admission.

Alliance — Festival at Silver Park on South Union Avenue, 4 p.m. to dusk. Youth Olympic Fest (ages 6-11), 4 to 5 p.m.; concessions, 5 to 10 p.m.; $1 pony rides, 5 to 7 p.m.; cruise-in, 5 to 8 p.m.; Society for Creative Anachronism (culture of middle ages), 5 to 9 p.m.; $1 jump house, 5 to 9 p.m.; nature scavenger hunt, 5 to 7:30 p.m.; strolling magician/balloon artist, 5 to 9 p.m.; Mad Science, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.; skydivers, 6 p.m.; Townhouse Suite concert, 6:15 to 7:15 p.m.; face painting, 7 to 9 p.m.; Carnation Queen contestants, 7:15 to 7:30 p.m.; Class Action concert, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Fireworks at 10 p.m. Rain date is Saturday.

Aurora — 5K and Fun Run, Bicentennial Park, state Route 43 and East Pioneer Trail at 8 a.m. (registration at 7 a.m.). Parade at 11 a.m. starts from Heinen's parking lot on East Garfield Road and marches to Aurora High School on West Pioneer Trail. Old-fashioned festival, noon to 4 p.m., Kiwanis Moore Park on West Pioneer Trail.

Cleveland — July Fourth Waterfront Festival on the river in the Flats. Family Fest at Settlers Landing, 6 p.m. Fireworks at 9:45 p.m. Rain date is Saturday. More information at www.clevelandflats.org.

Fairlawn — Parade steps off at 6:30 p.m. at Fairlawn Town Centre on West Market Street and marches west to Dillard's parking lot at Summit Mall. Awards for floats, marching units, bands and novelty units.

Fredericksburg — Parade at 11 a.m. starts at the corner of Fredericksburg and Graber roads. Ball games and food concessions follow at the baseball field.

Hiram — Old-fashioned Fourth of July activities from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Softball games, pie contest and kiddie games. Picnic at Municipal Building from noon to 1:30 p.m. Parade at 1:30 p.m. goes from Hayden and Dean streets, left on Hinsdale Street, south on Peckham Avenue, down state Route 82 to the post office. Community band outdoor concert of patriotic songs at 4 p.m. Ice cream social and big band dance with Garrettones from 8 to 11 p.m.

Jackson Township — American Warriors Concert, 1 to 9 p.m., at the 356th Fighter Group, 4919 Mount Pleasant Road. Performances by Jeff Tise, Culture Shock, F.M.A., Oblivion, Korea's Kum Soon Cho, Kelle Rhoads, Aleister Wild and American Warriors.

Massillon — Activities starting at 10 a.m. at Lion's Lincoln Theater. Registration for Little Miss Liberty and Little Uncle Sam at 10 a.m., pageants for both at 11 a.m.; musical selections by Lions Lincoln Ladies at 10:30 a.m.; free movie Stars and Stripes Forever, a musical biography of John Phillip Sousa, at 2 p.m. At Downtown Citi-Center, live music by ReUnited and Del-Riccos from 6 to 10 p.m. A fireworks show over the Tuscarawas River at 10 p.m., shot from RingMaster lot.

Medina — Annual Twin Sizzler Races from 6 to 11:30 a.m. include a 5K run, a 10K run, a 1-mile fun run, a 5K walk and a 27-mile bike race. All events start and finish at the square in downtown Medina. Refreshments and entertainment. Race T-shirts to the first 900 people to register. Registration opens at 6 a.m. at Garfield Elementary School.

Parade at 6 p.m. at Medina Public Square. Community band concert at 8:30 p.m. at Uptown Park Gazebo on the square.

Millersburg — Old-Fashioned Family Fourth in downtown area, starting at noon and concluding with fireworks from fairgrounds at 9:45 p.m. Food concessions, disc jockey, bike and stroller parade, kids games, pie-eating contest, beer garden, carriage rides.

North Canton — Jaycees parade, 10:30 a.m., from Hoover High School stadium parking lot on Seventh Street. Fireworks at dusk, near stadium parking lot and Dogwood Park.

Reminderville — Fun run at 8:30 a.m., starting at Drug Mart parking lot. Parade at 11 a.m., starting at the municipal center with a picnic following the parade at Aurora Shores Marina at noon.

Spencer — Parade at 10 a.m. Carnival, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Firestone Park, state Route 301. Fireworks at 10 p.m.

Stow — Pancake breakfast, 7 to 10 a.m., First Christian Church, 3493 Darrow Road; cost $5 for 13 and older, $2 for ages 6 to 12, free for younger than 6. Firecracker Run, 7:30 a.m., with 3K fun run and 4-mile run from Holy Family School. Parade steps off at Kent State Airport on Kent Road at 10 a.m., ending at Holy Family School, 3163 Kent Road.

Wadsworth — Community band concert, 7 p.m., Central Intermediate School lawn, 151 Main St.

Wooster — Food vendors, disc jockey, other activities starting at 4 p.m. at Kinney Field at Burbank and Oldman roads. Ice skating free to the public ($2 skates rental) at Alice Noble Arena from 4 to 9 p.m. Concerts by Hooked on Tonics and Angels from 5 to 10 p.m. Fireworks about 10 p.m. at Kinney Field. Rain date is Sunday. The Ohio Light Opera Orchestra, Cast & Chorus perform in downtown Wooster at 7 p.m.
SATURDAY

Aurora — Activities begin at 6 p.m. at Sunny Lake Park. Fireworks begin at approximately 9:45 p.m.

Hudson — Fireworks at Barlow Hill Farm, 9:30 p.m. Rain date is Sunday.

Kent — Heritage Festival downtown from 9 a.m. to midnight. Fireworks downtown at 10 p.m. Historic Train rides, Ducks over the Falls, live music and entertainment all day on three stages, 5K and 10K races and 1-mile fun run, children's play area, over 100 food and craft booths, and local displays.

Portage Lakes — The 33rd annual boat parade at 1 p.m., starting at Leighton's Boat House on East Reservoir, ending at Portage Lakes State Park Beach. It is an open-themed event with cash prizes. After the parade, a sand-castle-building contest will be held at the park. Fireworks at 10 p.m. from Mason's Point on Turkeyfoot Lake. Clear Channel (106.9-FM) will simulcast music to the fireworks. Rain date is Sunday.

Wooster — Bicentennial parade at noon, starting at fairgrounds, marching through downtown and back to fairgrounds.