The Fourth of July weekend calls for fireworks and plenty of local events, and that was certainly true for two towns on opposite sides of the Kansas/Nebraska border this week.

American flags billowing in front of the Jefferson County Courthouse is a telltale sign some patriotic event is underway in Fairbury, and, just a couple of blocks away, the City Park was unrecognizable, the grassy center completely overtaken by vendors from all across the state, composing the town's annual Fourth of July Flea Market.


This event has been an Independence Day staple in Fairbury for 55 years now. Event organizers say it's one of the largest flea markets in this part of the state, with around 200 vendors on hand to sell items from lawn decorations, furniture, outdoor goods, food, and plenty of other things - some of which were designed to fit the theme of the weekend.


And about half an hour south of Fairbury, across the border in Hanover, another longstanding celebration was underway: the Kansas town's annual Days of '49 celebration.


Named in reference to the gold rushers who passed through this part of the country on the Oregon Trail en route to the west coast in the middle of the 1800s, Hanover's annual Independence Day event features a parade that's made the short trek through town for the past 93 years.


The carnival overlooking the highway hasn't been running for quite as long, but remains a popular attraction for people through Northern Kansas.

Both of these events - along with many others around this part of the state - ran all day Thursday and Friday and will once again run all day Saturday, July 5 - and both Hanover and Fairbury plan to cap off the night by launching fireworks around 10 PM Saturday.


Some towns have flea markets and others have festivals and fairs, but of course a Fourth of July Friday wouldn't be complete without a few fireworks.