Festivities begin Friday ahead of Bennington Battle Day

BENNINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Festivities begin on Friday for Bennington Battle Day.

The Vermont state holiday commemorates a fight between American and British forces on August 16, 1777.

Although the Bennington Fire Department’s traditional parade had to be canceled, there are still events scheduled throughout the weekend.

There’s a chicken dinner Friday night at 4 p.m. at the firehouse.

On Saturday, there’s a talk about the 19th Amendment starting at 2 p.m., which gave women the right to vote. And at 3:30 p.m., there’s a walking tour of Old Bennington.

On Saturday night, there will fireworks, which residents should be able to see from their yards, starting around 9:30 p.m.

On Sunday, Gov. Phil Scott will be at the Vermont Veterans Home ahead of the ceremony on Sunday.

The ceremony will consist of cannons being fired and a reverse parade. Residents and community members are being encouraged to drive their own car behind a parade of fire trucks and rescue vehicles.

There will also be a ceremony on Battle Day at the battlefield, which is just over the New York state line.

Monday is a state government holiday.