The lines are painted on Hope and High streets, patriotic bunting is appearing all over town, and even the Mt. Hope Bridge is about to be draped in the stars and stripes as Bristol prepares for its biggest party of the year Tuesday.

The 232nd annual Bristol Fourth of July Parade is scheduled to step off at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday from Chestnut and Hope streets. The procession will head south on Hope Street before turning onto High Street, where it will proceed to the reviewing stand in front of the former Reynolds School.

This year’s installment is packed with floats, local, national and international bands, and several drum and bugle corps that are scheduled to compete in the Summer Music Preview Monday, July 3 in Cranston., including the Cadets from Pennsylvania, the Crossmen from Texas, and the Saints Brigade from New York. A fan favorite last year, the Royal Bahamian Defense Force Band will travel from the Bahamas to Bristol again this year, along with the 88th Army Band, local and national pipe and drum corps, and several high school bands, led by Mt. Hope High School.

The parade is divided into five divisions, led by Chief Marshals Lisa Sienkiewicz and Gail Parella, and followed by the Military, Militia, Veterans and Civic divisions. Bands are spread throughout the procession, as are multiple floats, which will be displayed and judged along Asylum Road before the parade Tuesday morning.

While the parade is the highlight, it is certainly not the only spectacle to see in Bristol this weekend. The Fourth of July Concert series continues nightly (see schedule below). The Summer Music Preview is scheduled for July 3, 6 p.m. at Cranston Stadium in Cranston. Fireworks are scheduled for July 3 over Bristol Harbor at 9:30 p.m., and Patriotic Exercises are scheduled in front of Colt Andrews School on Hope Street at 8:30 a.m. on July 4.

Concert series continues

The Fourth of July Concert Series continues nightly at Independence Park through July 3. The following bands are expected:

• Thursday, June 29: SIRSY, a rock and soul duo, at 6:30 p.m., followed by Songs in the Attic, a Billy Joel tribute, at 7:45 p.m.
• Friday, June 30: The U.S. Air Force Heritage of America Band, a concert band of more than 40 professional airman musicians, at 7 p.m. They play orchestral classics, marches, Broadway hits, jazz standards, movie music and patriotic favorites.
• Saturday, July 1: Steve Smith and the Nakeds, a rhythm & blues powerhouse celebrating 40 years, plays at 7 p.m.
• Sunday, July 2: Changes In Latitudes, the country’s premier tribute show to the Mayor of Margaritaville, Jimmy Buffett, plays at 7 p.m.
• Monday, July 3: Local favorites Trinity (Fred and Eric Komiega, members of Band Of Brothers, and Joe Caron, a former member) performs classic songs by Crosby, Stills & Nash, The Hollies, The Beatles, Byrds, etc., at 6:30 p.m. Then Nashville super group SIXWIRE returns at 7:45 p.m. with country/rock of the 1970s and ‘80s. The band has been featured on the TV show “Nashville.”

“The Frog Prince”

The Fourth of July Committee in conjunction with Kaleidoscope Theatre is presenting “The Frog Prince” on Saturday, July 1, at 1 p.m. at Independence Park as part of the concert series. The free show is for children. The rain location is at Mount Hope High School on Chestnut Street.

Young Prince Noble is having a really bad day. Anya, queen of the gypsies, is in love with him. He gets pushed down a well and then he’s transformed into an icky green frog. Will Prince Noble learn a lesson in humility and win the lovely Princess Cassandra’s heart?

Security will be tight

Bristol Police officers will be stationed at most intersections along Hope and High streets, and extra officers will be on foot, bike and motorcycle patrol throughout the parade route, according to Bristol Police Capt. Brian Burke. State and federal law enforcement personnel will also be in town to provide extra security, though no threats have been made against the parade, Capt. Burke said.

“We’ll have a lot of extra resources above and beyond our usual personnel,” Capt. Burke said. “We ask everyone to be patient with road closures and traffic, and follow the directions of the officers. Also, we ask the public to be very vigilant and report anything suspicious directly to Bristol Police officers.

The officers will also be enforcing parking bans and road closures Monday night and Tuesday morning.