PARADES

AMHERST: Amherst's 4th of July parade starts at 3 p.m. at the intersection of South Pleasant and College streets and proceeds to Triangle Street.

CHESTERFIELD: Chesterfield's parade begins at 10:30, but activities start earlier. A pancake breakfast opens at 7 a.m. at the firehouse. The Heritage Pops Orchestra will perform at 11:30 a.m. Typically, 2,000 to 3,000 people attend the parade. Regulars arrive early to get the best spots near the reviewing stand, located this year across from the Town Hall on South Street. Parking can be found at the Bryant Street parking lot.

Fireworks DISPLAYS

Amherst: 9:30 p.m. today, UMass fields near stadium on University Drive; rain date Sunday. A children's carnival starts at 5 and runs to 6:45 p.m. A blueberry pie eating contest starts at 8 p.m. The Stateline Barbershop Quartet will perform and the Amherst Community Band plays at 8:15 p.m.

Greenfield: 9:30 p.m. Sunday, at Beacon Field.

Springfield: 9:30 p.m. today, from Memorial Bridge downtown.