Saturday: Waterbury throws its early Not Quite Independence Day party
June 24, 2026 | By Lisa Scagliotti
Waterbury celebrates Not Quite Independence Day on Saturday with a special Train Day event at the Waterbury Train Station earlier in the day. File photo by Gordon Miller
Train Day addition
To add to the fun on Saturday, the folks at Discover Waterbury (evolving from Revitalizing Waterbury), the Waterbury Historical Society, and the Champlain Valley Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society have organized an early event at the Waterbury Train Station.
Train Day activities will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will include working model train displays, railroad artifacts and exhibits, live presentations and storytelling about Waterbury’s railroad history, and kids’ activities.
There also will be a special “trackless train” from Northeast Kingdom Express giving rides around downtown.
While most towns around Vermont will be celebrating the nation’s birthday over the July 3-4 weekend, Waterbury marches to its own unique beat, with Not Quite Independence Day festivities this Saturday.
The Green Mountain Mile footrace leads right into the NQID parade on Waterbury's Main Street. Photo by Gordon Miller
Referred to locally simply as the abbreviation, N-Q-I-D (not “EN-quid” as occasionally heard on the street), its the town’s biggest party of the year thrown by the Waterbury Rotary Club. The program begins at 3 p.m. at Rusty Parker Memorial Park on South Main Street, which closes to traffic at 3:30 p.m. Food and beverage vendors open ahead of the Green Mountain Mile footrace, which starts promptly at 3:45 p.m. with runners of all ages making their way from the Ice Center up Main Street to the finish at the Stowe and Main intersection.
The NQID parade immediately follows, rolling out from the State Office Complex at 4 p.m. The parade route extends up Main Street to Dac Rowe Park near the roundabout, where it doubles back using Union Street.
Fireworks set off behind the State Office Complex are visible all around downtown Waterbury. Photo by Gordon Miller
Post-parade, Rusty Parker Park is the spot for live music by the Dave Keller Band, food vendors, kids’ activities including a bouncy house, and a dunk tank where some local luminaries are expected to join in the fun. Admission is free, but Rotarians graciously ask for donations to defray the cost of the event.
Rotary parade judges announce the prize-winning entries soon after the parade, which has a theme of American Time Machine in a nod to this year’s 250th anniversary of American independence.
There’s still time to sign up to be in the parade. And for runners who wait for the last minute, Green Mountain Mile registration will be held in person 5-7 p.m. on Friday at Brookside Primary School and just before the race on Saturday (closes at 3:30 p.m.).
See the Waterbury Rotary Club’s NQID page for all of the details, including the Green Mountain Mile application, the parade entry form, and a list of food vendors that will be set up at the park.
Free parking for festivities is available throughout the downtown, including at the State Office Complex and both behind and across from the train station on Railroad Street, as well as at Brookside Primary School.
The celebration continues into the evening with fireworks planned at dusk (around 9 p.m.) from behind the State Office Complex. Note that after the fireworks, those exiting the State Office Complex at State Drive will be directed to turn right onto Main Street headed south.