July 3–5in & around the Wisconsin Northwoods
Up north the Fourth is a small-town parade kind of holiday, and the Northwoods does it right. Boulder Junction's Star Spangled Jubilee marches at noon Saturday with a "250 years of America" theme, Tomahawk's Pow Wow Days fills the whole weekend, and Eagle River runs its Long Lake boat parade down the water on the Fourth. Lake by day, fireworks by dark. Pack for weather, though: the Northwoods stays comfortable in the low 80s, but Friday and the Fourth both carry real thunderstorm odds before Sunday dries out bright -- the parades and the boat parade are the outdoor gamble here, so keep a rain plan in your back pocket.
Friday
Live music on the waterfront to open the holiday weekend. Bring a chair, find the lawn, and let the band run while the lake does its thing behind them. The easy Friday warm-up.
The kickoff to Tomahawk's Pow Wow Days, the town's big multi-day Fourth. Makers, crafts, and vendors at Sara Park -- a good first stop before the weekend's parade-and-fireworks rhythm gets going.
Saturday
The classic Northwoods Fourth: a free hometown celebration with a noon parade themed to America's 250th. Line the main drag, bring the kids, and stick around for the rest of the day's festivities downtown.
The signature feed of Tomahawk's Pow Wow Days weekend -- grilled chicken that people drive in for, served until it's gone. Get there early; "until it's gone" is not a figure of speech up here.
Only in the Northwoods: a parade that floats. Decorated boats run the length of Long Lake on the Fourth. Watch from a dock, a pier, or your own boat in the line -- this is the lake-country version of the holiday.
Sunday
Close the long weekend the Northwoods way -- a Lions Club pancake breakfast that's equal parts food and the whole town showing up. Cheap, friendly, and exactly the slow Sunday you want after the Fourth.
That's the weekend.
See everything on in the Wisconsin Northwoods — all weekend, all week.
See all eventsUpdated July 2, 2026 · Times verified the week of publication; we surface what's really on — how The Lineup chooses.