JULY 4TH CELEBRATION AT CASTLE CLINTON
The Lower Manhattan Historical Association will host its 9th Annual Independence Day Celebration on Thursday, July 4, from 10a to 4p at Castle Clinton at The Battery. Assemblymember Charles Fall will be the grand marshal for the parade, and the keynote speaker in the afternoon will be historian Kenneth T. Jackson. The festivities will begin with a 10a Flag Raising Ceremony led by the Veteran Corps of Artillery of the State of New York, followed by the parade which will end at South Street Seaport Pier 16. In the afternoon, Fraunces Tavern Museum will have an open house from 2 to 5p.

FREE CONTEMPORARY DANCE MUSICAL AT GIBNEY
Church Street School of Music & Art violin faculty members Dr. Yu-Wei Hsiao and his creative partner and company co-founder Chieh Hsiung will perform a free showing of a contemporary dance musical titled “Islanders 3: Special Edition” on July 12 and 13 at Gibney Dance on Chambers. The goal of the production is to introduce Taiwanese music, dance, and culture to a wider audience — and will continue the theme of “Everybody Put Your Hands Up!” featuring Taiwan’s vibrant disco culture and classic pop songs from the ’60s to the ’90s. Reservations here.

BPC DEDICATES ROCKEFELLER PARK HOUSE
The Battery Park City Authority dedicated the Rockefeller Park Park House to longtime park host, Gladys Pearlman, in a ceremony on June 27. Since 1984, Gladys Pearlman has been organizing games, handing out toys or teaching youngsters how to play tennis with the motto that “play is important.” When the park house opened 20 years ago, she became its unofficial ambassador and greeter to all visitors of the park.

CAVA OPENING IN HUDSON SQUARE
The fast casual chain CAVA is opening a new outpost in Hudson Square on Friday, July 5, at 350 Hudson. And on July 3, the company will be serving free meals during the pre-opening training period for staff and collecting donations that it will match for The Door. See details on all that here.