It’s time to party for America.

The Fourth of July, of course, is the celebration of the incredibly impressive and strategic struggle which led the United States to becoming an independent nation on July 4, 1776. Most all of what we enjoy, detest, accomplish and fight for as Americans should be represented in each colorful fireball that rockets into the air that night.

Of all the parties one can think of — birthdays, New Years, Superbowl, etc. — this should be the biggest.

Whether or not Independence Day lives up to its billing is in large part up to you, Kitsap.

There are special events slated across the county from the annual pancake breakfasts and parades to a few inaugural festivities — like the symphonic celebration which will be provided by the Bremerton Symphony Orchestra and the Kitsap Chordsmen at 4 p.m. July 1 on the waterfront at the Silverdale Beach Hotel.

With that in mind, What’s Up has compiled schedules of events from the four largest celebrations in the county in hopes of letting you know that no matter where you are on the peninsula, there’s a community celebration for our Nation close by.

While most of the county will be sending its celebrations into the night sky July 4, Poulsbo will be letting loose the night before with the Third of July Fireworks on the Fjord on the Liberty Bay waterfront.

This year marks a change of the guard for the Third of July as longtime organizer Mary Graves has passed the torch. That transfer has yielded small changes and additions to the festivities.

This year following the fireworks — which have long been the event’s last hoorah — a live Gypsy jazz band — Ranger and the Re-Arrangers from Bainbridge Island — will be carrying the celebration on into the Fourth, from 11 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. at Kvelstad Pavilion.

Food booths, kids’ rides and displays will be up throughout the day beginning at noon July 3.

Fathoms O’ Fun in Port Orchard is building upon tradition as it marks its 40th anniversary in 2007.

The annual summer festival shares the longest run in the county with Bainbridge. Whereas most Kitsap celebrations are compacted into to one or two days, Fathoms O’ Fun continues for six.

The Fathoms’ carnival will anchor on the Port Orchard waterfront at 4 p.m. June 28 and will run through Parade Day June 30 and on until the Sinclair Inlet fireworks show which sends it all out with a bang on the evening of Independence Day.

New to the 40-year-old Fathoms festival this year will be a vendors street fair, opening at 10 a.m. Saturday in the waterfront parking lot across from Kitsap Bank. And another first, in conjunction with the street fair and parade day, Fathoms will be the featuring local bands Rhythm Rockets (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.) and Cabin Fever (2 p.m. to 5 p.m.)

Bainbridge’s Grand Old Fourth fest is also turning 40 in 2007. And under its theme “Rockin’ 40th 4th,” the community celebration will be loading up Independence Day with its patented Mile Long Parade, the stylin’ classic car show, a day-long street fair and more.

Although the Grand Old Fourth will be absent of the long-standing July 4 staple — a fireworks show — it will have a Harbour Public House beer garden on Bjune Street for adults, a pirate show for kids as well as with Jas Linford’s Hometown Band which will play the traditional John Phillip Sousa-style marching music at the Winslow Mall preceding the parade.

And that’s just a slice of the pie that is Bainbridge Island’s Independence Day celebration.

Free parking will be available at Ace Hardware, First Baptist Church, Kitsap Bank, and Ordway Elementary School with a free shuttle service to the police station on Winslow Way from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Spilling over into two days this year, the North End’s biggest Fourth festival at 10 a.m. July 3 with Kingston’s famed Tiny Town in Kola Kole Park.

Following local talent performances, eating contests and slug races that day, it’ll all be set off in earnest with a community street dance — or grass dance rather at Mike Wallace Memorial Park — at 6 p.m. with a rock through the ages cover band called Been There Done That.

Independence Day itself in Kingston will feature the requisite pancake breakfast at 8 a.m. and parade at noon as well as the Boot-Scootin’ Grannies, Miss Kingston awards and three different musical acts — beginning at 4:30 p.m. and ending with the eruption of the fireworks display at dusk over Apple Tree Cove.

Volunteers are needed for the event, organizers said. Anyone who volunteers two hours of time will get a free kids pass for the Tiny Town inflatable rides. To sign up, call Samantha Graham at (360) 779-9820.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

July 3 Tiny Town at Kola Kole Park

10 a.m. Bayside Worship Band

Noon Katie Webster

1 p.m. Local talent

2 p.m. Ice Cream Eating Contest

3 p.m. Local talent

4 p.m. Shade’s Dog training

5 p.m. Slug Races

5:30 p.m. Toby’s kids from Kingston Junior High

6 p.m. Dancing through the ages with Been There Done That

July 4 at Mike Wallace Park unless otherwise noted

8 a.m. Pancake breakfast (Yacht Club)

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Farmers Market

11 a.m. Liberty Bay Danceworks (Tiny Town)

Noon Parade (Main Street)

2 p.m. JP Patches the clown

3 p.m. Kitsap Children’s Musical Theater (Tiny Town)

4 p.m. Boot Scootin’ Grannies (Tiny Town)

4:30 to 6 p.m. Hit Sensation

5 p.m. Cake (Tiny Town)

6:30 to 8 p.m. The Warren Brothers

8:30 to 10:30 p.m. JR Cadillac

Fireworks at Dusk. For more information visit the Kingston Chamber Online at www.kingstonchamber.com or call (360) 297-3813.