Your guide to the Fourth of July weekend

Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends make you want to get out the backyard grill and call a handful of friends over.

But Independence Day leaves us feeling anything but independent. It's a social holiday that makes us want to converge into large crowds of fellow Americans and be a part of the national birthday party.

Almost every little town from Calistoga to Monte Rio has its own fireworks display, and if you're a true pyrotechnics fan you can catch a fireworks show somewhere in the North Bay all weekend -- tonight through Sunday.

Santa Rosa gets a jump on other holiday celebrations at 6 tonight when the gates open to the Sonoma County Fairgrounds carnival lot and lawn, where food vendors will hold forth until 10.

Bring picnic baskets, blankets and low lawn chairs, but no alcohol, glass containers, pets, tents or canopies. Fireworks start at 9:30.

Admission to the lawn area is free. Parking at the fairgrounds costs $10. 1350 Bennett Valley Road. www.sonomacountyfair.com, 545-4200.

Windsor also celebrates Independence Day a day early, starting at 4 p.m. today at Keiser Park, 700 Windsor River Road.

There's a model airplane show at 6:30 p.m. and a performance by the Healdsburg/Windsor Children's Chorus at 7:30. Fireworks start at 9:30.

Admission to the park is free, but the "Kid Zone" rides and games area requires a $12 pass, or $1-$2 per ride. No alcohol, pets or parking at the park. Park at Windsor High School, 8695 Windsor Road. 838-1260, www.townofwindsor.com.

Leave it to Sebastopol to host a Third of July Fireworks and Music Festival, an evening of music with, among others, Dgiin, a Santa Rosa band known for its French-Gypsy-Punk stylings with a twist, and Buzzy Martin and the BuzzTones. There'll also be dancing, games and lots of food, all at the Analy High School football field. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. $7. 6950 Analy Ave., www.seb.org.

Go to the Marin County Fair tonight through Sunday and grab a bonus prize at the end of each day: a fireworks show at 9:30 highlighted by a string of eye-popping new effects.

Admission to the fair, including fireworks show, is $14 adults, $12 seniors and kids 4 to 12. Marin Center, 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. www.marincenter.org.

FRIDAY

In Healdsburg, American Legion Sotoyome Post 111 entertains the whole town for the 18th year, with a whopping 40-minute fireworks display starting at 9:30 at the Healdsburg High School Athletic Field, 1024 Prince Ave.

Free, but donations welcome. www.healdsburg.com, 433-6935.

In Sonoma, festivities start with a hometown parade around the Plaza at 10 a.m. Revelers then head to the plaza park for live music, food, kids' activities and booths. Later, it's a short stroll to the grassy field between West Spain Street and the General Vallejo home to spread out a blanket, enjoy a slow picnic and wait for the big fireworks show at dark. 938-4626, ext. 1.

The Cloverdale Lions Club presents its annual community fireworks show at dusk at the Cloverdale High School football field. Free. 509 N. Cloverdale Blvd. www.cloverdalelions.com, 894-4470.

Celebrate in downtown Napa at the Veterans Memorial Park, corner of Third and Main streets along the Napa River, from noon to 10 p.m. The day includes food booths, children's activities and a whiz-bang fireworks display. Free. 257-9529, www.napavalley.com.

In Calistoga, catch the hometown parade starting at noon at Cedar Street and marching down Lincoln Avenue. Fireworks start around 9:30 at the Napa County Fair, which starts this weekend. You'll have to pay fair admission ($7 adults, $3 children 6 to 12. Five and under free).

The fair continues through Sunday, noon to 11 p.m. 1435 N. Oak St. 942-5111 for fair; 942-6333 for parade; calistoga visitors.com.

In Monte Rio, enjoy a barbecue at the Volunteer Firehouse, noon to 5 p.m. After you eat enjoy a water carnival and fireworks at dusk on Monte Rio Beach. 865-2487.

You can warm up for San Francisco's fireworks over the bay during an all-day waterfront celebration at Pier 39. Live entertainment includes Big Bang Beat from 1 to 4 p.m. and Tainted Love from 6 to 8:30 p.m. The party culminates with a spectacular fireworks show (or a fog-shrouded light show) at dusk.

Pier 39 is at Beach Street and Embarcadero. www.pier39.com.

Celebrate your day in Ukiah with an All-American Fourth of July Family Picnic at Todd Grove Park from noon to 5 p.m., with entertainment, food booths, free children's activities, arts and crafts, games, races and contests. The fireworks and live music previously scheduled for the Redwood Empire Fairgrounds later in the day have been canceled because of the fires. Call 463-6231 for further information.

The Festival del Sole in Napa Valley is offering a big thank-you to the community with a free classical concert and fireworks show at the Lincoln Theater and on the grounds of the California Veterans Home in Yountville.

The Napa Valley Symphony concert led by Asher Raboy starts at 5:30 p.m. The all-American musical program will be capped off by Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue."

The Lincoln Theater is at 100 California Drive. www.fdsnapa.org.

It's not just America's birthday. Petaluma is also celebrating its 150th this year with "Sesquifest." The joint birthday bash begins at 3 p.m. with hours of free entertainment until the fireworks display at 9:30. The eclectic lineup runs the gamut from the The Pulsators to Mariachi by Victor Mejia to the "Petaluma River Anthology," by Cinnabar Theater. Kids' activities. Food and drinks also available for sale. Picnics OK, but no alcoholic beverages allowed. $2 adults; kids under 13 free. Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds, 175 Fairgrounds Drive. 778-4380.

In Clearlake, look for fireworks set off from Widgeon Point on Highway 20 at dusk. 998-9563.

Or, enjoy a street fair along Lakeport Street with vendors, arts and crafts and food and beverages from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. A light-boated parade is scheduled for 9 p.m. along with fireworks over Clear Lake. www.lakeportchamber.com.

In Yountville, fireworks are scheduled for 9:30 p.m, 100 California Drive. 944-4600.

SATURDAY

The village of Bodega Bay will launch its volley of fireworks over the water, starting at 9:30 at Westside Park, 2400 Westshore Road. Free. 875-3866, www.bodegabay.com.

Start the day with the Bodega Bay Firemen's pancake breakfast, running from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Bodega Bay Grange, 1370 Bodega Ave. 875-3001.

Fireworks will fly from Pomo Bluffs Park at Todd's Point in Fort Bragg starting around 9. They're preceded earlier in the day by a salmon barbecue ($25) at the Noyo Basin. Limited parking can be found at the Carlson/Patton property and at College of the Redwoods. A $5 parking donation is requested. www.gomendo.com, 961-6300.

Ratchet up the volume on your holiday weekend with a 1970s-style arena rock doubleheader at the Outdoor Konocti Field Amphitheater at 6:30 p.m., showcasing Boston of "More Than a Feeling" fame and Styx of "Come Sail Away" and "Babe" notoriety.

The concert will be followed by a fireworks show, reflected in the waters of Clear Lake.

Tickets are $59-$108 for the show. The Konocti Harbor Resort is at 8727 Soda Bay Road, Kelseyville. (800) 660-5253, www.tickets.com.

The Russian River lights up Saturday night with a floating parade. Canoes, rafts and kayaks are cleverly decked out like parade floats, complete with lights, starting at dusk.

The second act is the Water Curtain, a homemade water show with the American Flag and other images projected onto a wall of water over the Monte Rio Bridge. The finale is a fireworks show over the river at dark. 865-2487.

Celebrate Point Arena's centennial at Point Arena Pier Street Fair and enjoy food and craft vendors, kids' activities and music by DJ Sister Yasmin. A fireworks show will follow at dark, followed by a light parade. www.redwoodcoastchamber.com.

SUNDAY

The river celebration moves downriver Sunday to Guerneville. Live music, kids' activities, more barbecue and a crafts fair keep the downtown jumping around the plaza. Hang around until 9 for more fireworks over the river. The show can be seen from anywhere in town. Everything but food is free. 869-9000.

Staff Writers Virginie Boone, Meg McConahey, Diane Peterson and Dan Taylor contributed to this report.