Woodsville-Wells River 4th of July Parade and Celebration

Let us know when you are willing to give us an hour or more.

Many tasks - Setup the night before, parade setup, so much more. Bring your family and friends.

Contact or Join Our Volunteer Group
Help Make this Celebration Even Better

Meetings on 4th Tuesday of each month at 7pm (usually at Woodsville Emergency Services) (4910 Dartmouth College Highway, Woodsville)

President - Brett Rubinate - president@wwr4th.org
Vice-president - John Hunt
Secretary - Janice Scruton
Treasurer - Mike Frace

Snail mail: Woodsville Wells River 4th of July Committee
PO Box 50
Woodsville, NH 03785

2025 Parade & Storefront Winners:

First Prize Commercial - Wells River Savings Bank - Wells River, VT
Second Prize Commercial - Pleasant Valley Campground
Third Prize Commercial - Minot Farm
First Prize Non-Profit - Oxbow Chapter DAR - Newbury, VT
Second Prize Non-Profit - BMU Boys - Wells River, VT
Third Prize Non-Profit - Cottage Hospital - Woodsville, NH
First Prize Private Entry - Wyatt Basch
Second Prize Private Entry - Tiffany Glynn
Third Prize Private Entry - Stuart McDanolds
First Prize Storefront Decorating - Curt 'n Rod - Woodsville, NH
Second Prize Storefront Decorating - Wells River Savings Bank - Wells River, VT
Third Prize Storefront Decorating - Baldwin Library - Wells River, VT

Parade Route

2026 Theme

We the People

Thanks to all who submitted suggestions!

2025 Parade & Grand Marshals

Parade Marshal - Tom Sullivan more...

There are those who very much fear Friday the 13th. It is called paraskevidekatriaphobia. The 2025 Parade Marshal for the Woodsville Wells River 4th of July celebration has reason to fear that date, or at least not like it. It was Friday, December 13, 1965 that Tom Sullivan received his draft notice for the US Army. Tom was already out of high school and had earned his electrician's license. He ws working full time in his home town of Cambridge, Massachusetts when that notification arrived.

He spent his first year in the US Army at Fort Lewis in the State of Washington. First for basic training and then for his AIT. After training he joined many others in the Viet Nam conflict as a member of the US Army Infantry. Tom was in the country for nine months when he got a short R&R break in Hong Kong. Upon his return he and another solider were ordered to take a troop transport truck out into the field to retrieve their fellow soldiers. It was then that his truck hit a land mine in the road. It turns out that the land mine was US made and had actually been left from the Korean conflict. It had been dug up and replanted on this particular road. Though Tom was not driving the truck he did suffer some injuries, but he requested to stay with his fellow soldiers and did not get transferred to Japan for further treatment.

Upon Tom's return to the US he returned to his work as an electrician. He eventually took a position as the head of maintenance at Cambridge Housing Authority where he worked for 17 years.

In the mid 80's Tom traveled north to New Hampshire in order to get a Christmas Tree, and according to him, he never went back. He already had relatives in the area and made the choice to leave a job where he made good money, but did not always agree with his bosses. So Tom started his own business. Tom retired once he got a handle on being in his 70's and now still enjoys small building projects.

Tom also continues to be an active member of Ross-Wood Post #20 American Legion in Woodsville. He had originally joined a post in Cambridge, and then in Littleton, but Woodsville became his home. He has served as Commander, Sr. Vice Commander, Jr. Vice Commander, Judge Advocate and is still serving on both the Executive and House Committees. Tom was voted Legionnaire of the Year and was awarded a plaque in 2024.

The Woodsville Wells River 4th of July Committee is pleased to honor Tom Sullivan of Woodsville as the 2025 Parade Marshal. less...

Grand Marshal - Stephen and Teresa Puffer more...

When listing the volunteer groups one or the other has served on, it might be easier to mention those that they have not had an effect on. Whether it be volunteering to serve on a board, or just getting the word out about an upcoming event, Steve and Teresa have been go to people for many years. Steve first went on air at WYKR radio, in 1978. The radio station he helped build, was owned by his dad and uncle. Shortly after Steve's uncle left the business in 1982, Steve became a co-owner with his dad and mom. Teresa went to work there in 2000 after working for 22 years in the insurance industry. Steve & Teresa eventually took over full responsibility and just last year sold the station to another locally minded individual. But they are still gainfully employed at WYKR doing much the same jobs they have loved doing for many, many years.

To say that both of these fine folks have deep roots in the area would be a very large understatement. Steve, with much help from Teresa, has traced his lineage, through both his father and mother, all the way back to the Mayflower. He can also show relatives who fought in the Revolutionary War. Teresa has not yet done all the paperwork, but is proud to say she was born in Woodsville, and other than the couple's first few years of marriage when they lived in the basement of the original WYKR studio building (the old school house in Wells River), she has been a Haverhill resident.

In the last few years Steve has also been honored with volunteer of the year with the Sons of the American Legion Squadron #20 in Woodsville, as well as joining his father in the Vermont Association of Broadcaster's Hall of Fame. They both agree about two or three more topics. One is that Steve likes to talk. That means Teresa has spent many, many, many hours waiting for him to finish a conversation. And that she is the "wind beneath his wings". They also agree that they have "strived to support local, and local has supported us". The Woodsville Wells River 4th of July Committee is proud to honor Stephen and Teresa Puffer as our Grand Marshals for 2025. And they are proud of their grand Marshals and grand Puffers who will probably join them in the parade.

The Woodsville Wells River 4th of July Committee is proud to honor Stephen and Teresa Puffer as our Grand Marshals for 2025. And they are proud of their grand Marshals and grand Puffers who will probably join them in the parade. less...

2026 Schedule - Saturday July 4th

9:00-11:00 AM Registration for Parade Entrants (no fee)
11:00 AM Gigantic Parade
12:00 PM Food Vendors, Flea Market, & Crafters Open
1:00-6:00 Free Face Painting & Temporary Tatoos
1:00-3:00 Live Music by Donna Thunder (Country Rock)
2:00-9:00 BINGO Under the Tent
3:00-4:30 DJ Mike - Music & Trivia
4:30-6:30 Counting by 7's - Jazz Band
2:00 Touch a Truck
6:30-8:00 DJ Mike - Music & Karaoke
7:30 Parade & Window Display Winners Announced
8:00-10:00 Live Music by The Sled Wrenches (Eclectic Mix)
9:00 Money Raffle Drawing - Winners Announced
9:00-10:00 50-50 Raffle Tickets Sold - Drawing During Fireworks
10:00 250th Anniversary Fireworks Display!!!

Games and Activities with prizes go on all day!

Duck Pool • Fishing Pool • Ring Toss • Pick A Pop
Tin Can Strike Zone • Frisbee Toss • Axe Throw

Special Events with prizes
(check the office building for schedule)

Sack Race • Obstacle Course • Frozen T-Shirt
Pie Eating Contest • Kickball • Wiffleball
Coloring Contest all day. Winner announced at 7pm

Download 2026 Event Commemorative Booklet

Community Field

Join Us!

Join the Parade

Floats
Bands
Walkers
You-Name-It
All parade participants and floats must be family-friendly
No entry fee
Download Parade Entry Form (and then bring it with you on the 4th)
Parade Entry Forms are also available on the 4th
Assemble at Woodsville Elementary School (206 Central Street, Woodsville) no later than 10:30am
Military Units and Bands assemble at Montebello Street, Woodsville

Enter our Storefront Decoration competition

We will be judging all entrants that have window fronts facing a street in Wells River or Woodsville on the evening of July 3rd!
Judging will be based on appearance, originality, effort, and how it pertains to this year's Theme!
The winners will be announced on the 4th along with the parade winners. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes will be awarded!
To enter the competition please send an email to paradechair@wwr4th.org with your business name and address. Thank you and good luck!
To be considered eligible for this event, YOU MUST E-MAIL. We will not be taking phone call entries or paper entries for this event.

2025 Parade

Click Here tp watch the 2025 Parade courtesy of Kingdom Television

Raffle

Just $10 per Ticket
Only 550 Tickets will be Sold!

2025 Winners:

Todd Aldrich • Brad Sargent
Janice Estes • Jeffrey Elliot Jr.
Jay Bullard • Lloyd Farnham
Pat Hunt • Caren Loud

Drawing will be held at the Community Field on the 4th at 9:00 pm!
You do NOT have to be present to win

Please visit one of our local businesses that are selling tickets for us:

Always Fit Athletic Club - Woodsville
An Affair to Remember - Woodsville
Copies and More – Wells River
D&P's Convenience - Woodsville
Gather Together Café - Woodsville
North Haverhill Agway - North Haverhill
Profile Meats - North Haverhill

2026 Underwriters

American Legion Ross-Wood Post #20
Autosaver Group
Bar Harbor Bank & Trust
Cohase Lions Club
LC Design Concepts
Passumpsic Bank
Shilohs Restaurant
Sons of the American Legion Ross-Wood Post #20
Thomson Fuels
Wells River Savings Bank
WYKR

2026 Red, White, & Blue Sponsors

302 Cares
All Season's Motel
Always Fit Athletic Club
American Legion Auxillary Unitt #20
American Legion Riders, NH Charter Chapter
American Legion Ross-Wood Post #20
An Affair to Remembet/EBTC
Autosaver Group
Bar Harbor Bank & Trust
Bear Ridge Speedway
Big Bubbles Laundromat
Big Cones
Blackmount Country Club
Bobcat of Woodsville
Boudreault Septic, LLC
Budget KB & Millwork
Cohase Chamber of Commerce
Cohase Lions Club
Colby Insurance Group
Copies & More
Corey Electric
Country Chique Antiques
Curt 'n Rod Centre
Dads 4 By Tool & Supply
Dick's Field & Tree
Doug Murray Enterprises
E-Z Steel & Fabrication, Inc.
Eastman Electric LLC
Emerson Automotive
Fireside Hearth & Leisure
Forest Street Pub
Gather Together
Gateway Sports
Green Mountain Merchandise
GRS Tire & Auto
H.P. Cummings Construction
Harman's Cheese & Country Store
Hatchland Farm's Dairy Delites
Haverhill Memorial VFW Post #5245
Hood's Plumbing and Heating
Huntington Farm, Home and Garden
Iron Rail Pub & Grill
James K. Lang LLC
John S. Grisham, DDS
Journal Opinion
K. Knapp Diesel Repair
Knoxland Farm
Law Office of Kevin R. Bruno
LC Design Concepts
Littleton Coin Company
Mike's Garage
Mim's Garden Market
New Century Restaurant
New England Wire Technologies
Nootka Lodge
Northern Grafton County Republican Committee
O'Reilly Auto
Passumpsic Savings Bank
Red's Auto Spa
Ricker Funeral Home
Riggie Electric
Royal Electric
Ryegate Associates
S.F. Mcallister Jewelers
Shadow Box Art & Framing
Shiloh's Restaurant
Sons of the American Legion Squadron #20
Star Cat Books, LLC
Stephan Elliott
Steve & Lynn Wheeler
Stockley Trucking, Inc
The Bridge Weekly Sho-Case
The Kinder Financial Group of Stifel
Thomson Fuels
Timberwolf Rubbish Removal
Tiny Bubbles Laundromat
Todd Holt Physical Therapy
Town of Bath
Town of Benton
Town of Haverhill
Town of Monroe
Town of Newbury
Town of Ryegate
Twin River Campground
Undercover Tents
Valley Floors
Village of Wells River
W.E. Jock Oil Co., Inc.
Walker Motor Sales, Inc.
Wells River Action Program
Wells River Motel
Wells River Savings Bank
Wells River Wellness Hall
Windy Knoll Crafts & More
Woodsville Precinct
Woodsville Village Pizza
WYKR

2026 Theme

We the People

Join Us!

Raffle

Just $10 per TicketOnly 550 Tickets will be Sold!

Just $10 per Ticket
Only 550 Tickets will be Sold!