WEIRTON — City officials are planning a full afternoon of activities in celebration of the nation’s founding.

Set for Saturday, Weirton’s Independence Day festivities will include its annual parade, a street fair with contests, vendors and other attractions, with the day culminating with a performance by the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra and a fireworks display.

“We really want to make it a community-based, family friendly day,” Mayor Dean Harris explained.

Festivities will begin with the Independence Day parade, set with a theme of “A New Beginning.”

Lineup for the parade, which will follow Main Street from Virginia Avenue to Marland Heights Road, is set for no later than 3:15 p.m., with the parade stepping off at 4 p.m.

This is a change for Weirton, which traditionally has offered its holiday parade in the morning.

“We’re really excited about the opportunity of doing an afternoon parade,” said Coty Shingle, executive director of Weirton Parks, which organizes the parade.

While the official deadline to participate in the parade has passed, Shingle noted they can still accept a limited number of registrants, with those interested asked to contact Parks Program Director Chris Krishak at (304) 797-5721.

“We’re at about 35 entrants. We’d like to have at least 50,” Shingle said.

Following the parade, the area around the Millsop Community Center will be filled with water slides and inflatables, games, food and craft vendors and other attractions.

City officials also have organized three competitions — the Patriotic Pet Contest, the Bike Decorating Contest, and the Pie Baking Contest.

Activities are scheduled to take place from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Celebrations will conclude with a performance by the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra, with gates of the Weirton Event Center opening at 6 p.m. and the concert beginning at 8 p.m. It is made possible through the support of the Top of West Virginia Convention and Visitors Bureau and Expand Energy.

A fireworks display will follow.