The Hottest 4th of July in Frederick

You guys. I do not think I have ever sweat so much in my entire LIFE.

The thermometer said 101 degrees. It FELT like 109. And yet… the hubby and I still packed up the whole crew and made a full day of the 4th of July festival in Frederick, Maryland. And honestly? It ended up being one of my favorite days of the whole summer.

Let me take you through it.

Cody buckled into his car seat with his tablet, ready for the drive to Frederick

Cody boy rode in like the little king he is… snacks, tablet, air conditioning cranked. Smart man. He knew what was coming.

A parking tip, friend to friend

Okay, before anything else, let me save you the headache we did NOT have. We parked at Frederick High School, where they were running a booster-club drive for parking. Five dollars. FIVE. (We handed them ten because… come on, go team.)

And it was the perfect spot… just about 300 yards from where we set up camp right next to the river. On a 101-degree day, not hauling all our gear a mile is the difference between a good day and a grumpy one. Worth every penny and then some.

Setting up camp

Our screen tent and gear set up in the shade of the trees by the river

We claimed a shady spot under the trees by the water and got the screen tent up (bless whoever invented shade). This was home base for the day: coolers, chairs, and the star of the whole show…

The new grill earned its keep

We bought a brand new grill for our setup (a Weber Traveler!) and this was its big debut. You guys, it did NOT disappoint.

Hot dogs and burgers sizzling on the new Weber Traveler grill

Look at that lineup. 🔥 Dogs and burgers, lunch AND dinner, cooked right there at camp. Totally worth it and the food was SO good. There's just something about food off your own grill in the middle of a festival that hits different.

Our full camp spread: grill, a table of food and drinks, and coolers

Momma came prepared. Do not judge the setup… okay, you can judge it a little. 😉

The storm nobody ordered

Now here's the plot twist. Right around 7 PM, out of NOWHERE, a storm rolled in and about blew our poor tent clear over. We were all hands on deck holding it down (WEEOO for teamwork). It huffed and puffed for about forty minutes… and then, just like that, it passed.

And you know what? It was a blessing in disguise. That storm dragged the temperature all the way down into the 80s… which, after a 101-degree afternoon, felt downright CHILLY. Perfect timing for the evening and the fireworks.

Frederick knows how to do the 4th

Once the storm cleared out, we set off to explore, and Frederick really shows up for this holiday.

Cody in his orange shirt walking down a tree-lined path at the festival

A giant American flag hanging over the street

A historic stone building reflected in a still pond

A giant flag over the street, and a picture-perfect little pond you could just sit and stare at.

And then… the food trucks. A whole row of them lined up down the lane.

A row of food trucks lined up along the festival street

Now these were not Cody's favorite… but they were definitely OURS. Why, you ask? Because this year we brought our own grill and did NOT spend a single dime on them. Momma's wallet said thank you. 😉

The games were the real MVP

We had family friends with us, and honestly the best entertainment all day was the horseshoes and cornhole we set up right at camp. The kids played for HOURS.

The whole crew playing cornhole and horseshoes on the grass by our tent

And can I let you in on the real parent win? While the kiddos were busy tossing bean bags, us grown-ups got a break from listening to everyone tell us how HOT they were. Heh. You parents know EXACTLY what I mean. 😅

Ponies, ducks, and a superhero

From there we wandered the festival, and there was no shortage of things to see. Pony rides, a little petting pen with the softest ducks, patriotic performers working the lanes, and even a Captain America who was very happy to pose (I may have fangirled a little).

The pony and petting pen set up under a shade tent

A pony saddled up and waiting to give rides

The kids checking out the ducks in the petting pen

Patriotic Uncle Sam performers by a lemonade cart

Girl in Pigtails posing with a Captain America character

River therapy (Cody's, and honestly mine too)

Here is where our little man had the time of his LIFE. Cody got to get into the river… and he loved every single minute of it.

Ray helping Cody wade into the cool creek

Cody splashing through the water with a huge grin

The BEST moment? When Ray splashed him and got him completely soaked. The giggles, you guys. That belly laugh alone was worth the whole hot, sticky, sweaty day. Cody was living his best life and so were we watching him.

Then the sky lit up

As the sun went down, everyone spread out across the field with their blankets and chairs, and you could feel that happy 4th of July hum in the air.

The crowd spread across the field at dusk waiting for fireworks

Girl in Pigtails laughing in the evening light before the show

And then… the show. That cool 80-degree air (thank you, storm) made it just about perfect.

A bright green firework burst in the night sky

The grand finale lighting up the whole sky

The honest recap:

Park at Frederick High School if the booster drive is running… cheap, easy, and SO close to the river.
Bring the shade. A screen tent on a 101-degree day is not optional, it's survival.
If you've got the room, bring your own grill. Lunch and dinner at camp was a total win.
Watch the sky around dinnertime… a summer storm might just save your evening.
Find the water. A creek and a giggly, soaked toddler is peak 4th of July.

101 degrees, a runaway tent, and one very wet little boy later… we wouldn't trade this day for anything. Frederick, you did the 4th PROUD.

We will see you in the next adventure!

Girl in Pigtails