WELLSBURG – A week of festivities in honor of Independence Day will kick off Friday night, with a block party organized by the Wellsburg Urban Renewal Authority.

Area residents are invited to the Wellsburg Town Square from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday, for the first of a series of summer block parties.

The festivities will include live music from Matt Hill and Friends, along with food and other refreshments from Taters Food Truck, Rusty Bull Taco Co., Dr. Sweets, and Carenbauer Distributing.

Additional local vendors also will be on site.

Headline sponsors include Jimmy Willis, House of Delegates; the Kookie Jar; Puskarich Accounting and Tax LLC; Almost Heaven Family Dentistry; Carenbauer Distributing; and state Sen. Ryan Weld.

Additional support is provided by Community Champions sponsors Chambers and James Funeral, Pet and Cremation Services; Industrial Repair and Hydraulics; Mark’s Carryout; Johnnies Florist at James; Traubert’s Pharmacy; Starvaggi; and Cipriani and Thomas Law Office; with Friends of Wellsburg sponsors Original DiCarlo’s Pizza; Hannah Barlow Photography; Mary Kay Pepe-Realtor Paull Associates; Garretson Security and Investigations; Main Street Bank; Erica Tamburin-ReMax Broadwater; K Construction; and WesBanco.

The block parties were first organized by the URA as part of its fundraising efforts in support of redevelopment projects to a series of buildings located on the Town Square.

One of those structures, located at 701 Charles St., is nearing the end of its renovations. It now is home to local business, the Kookie Jar, and soon will have two apartments located on the upper floors.

Two neighboring buildings also have been targeted for redevelopment by the URA.

Future block parties are scheduled for July 31 and Aug. 21.

Wellsburg celebrates the nation’s founding, each year, with a multi-day calendar of activities.

Festivities will include daily live musical performances at Central Park beginning at 7 p.m. Other activities include a cornhole tournament June 27, a fishing tournament and pickleball competition June 28, a 3-on-3 basketball tournament June 29, a hot dog-eating contest June 30, Kids Day at Central Park and an Oreo-stacking challenge July 1, the Lil Miss and Mr. Fourth of July contest July 2 and the Best Dressed at Central Park event July 3.

Saturday will feature a 5K race at 8 a.m. and the Super Kids Derby at 10 a.m.

Independence Day itself will include a flag raising ceremony at First Ward Park at 8:30 a.m., the community’s Oil Can Derby, at 9 a.m., a bike-decorating contest at 6 p.m. in the Town Square, the parade at 7 p.m., and fireworks at approximately 10 p.m.