The flags, the fireworks, the red, white and blue parades and popsicles, the grand speeches and readings of the Declaration of Independence — it's all popping on the Fourth of July, always a festive time in the Roland Park, Mount Washington and Inner Harbor areas.

The fireworks, of course, will fill the air above the Inner Harbor, starting at 9:30 p.m., and preceded for the first time this year by entertainment for children and families from noon to 4 p.m., in the West Shore Park next to the downtown Visitor's Center. Performers will include the Milkshake Duo and magician/comedian Jason Moffett.

Also look for a 4 p.m. performance by the Pennsylvania Air National Guard at 4 p.m., followed by the U.S. Naval Academy band, Electric Brigade, playing patriotic and pop music, at 7:30 p.m. Those events are in the Inner Harbor Amphitheatre at Pratt and Light streets.

All the events are part of the city's Ports America Chesapeake Fourth of July Celebration, co-sponsored by WJZ-Channel 13 and HarborPlace & The Gallery.

And then come the fireworks, with upwards of 75,000 people expected to be watching, according to Tracy Baskerville, a spokeswoman for the Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts.

Meanwhile, it'll be pretty much the same old, same old in Roland Park and Mount Washington — which is just the way residents like it.

In Roland Park, at 10 a.m., a reading of the Declaration of Independence on the steps of the library at 5108 Roland Ave., and remarks by City Council members and state delegates, will give way to the singing of the National Anthem by the local a capella group Out Too Late.

Then, the annual parade will be led by Engine No. 44 from the Roland Park fire station, with residents of all ages right behind it on foot, bikes, scooters and strollers. At the end of the parade route, Roland Park Presbyterian Church at 4801 Roland Ave., will be on hand to spray water on the crowd.

That's a favorite of children — along with red, white and blue popsicles and bottled water that will also be on hand.

And in Mount Washington, what co-organizer Joan Wisner-Carlson calls "an outpouring of community spirit" will be on display at the 12th annual Spirit of Mount Washington Independence Parade. This year's parade will start at Springwell Senior Living, 2211 W. Rogers Ave., turn left on Wexford Road, left on South Road, left on Cross Country Boulevard and left on Rogers before ending back at Springwell.

Pre-and post-parade activities at Springwell will include bubble-blowing, Best Costume and Most Patriotic Pet contests, as well as hula-hooping and red, white and blue crafts.

Riding in the parade will be Mount Washington Elementary School teachers Margaret May, who was named this year's Baltimore City Teacher of the Year, and Terri Lough, who is retiring.

Watermelons, lemon sticks, cupcakes and old-fashioned lemonade will be provided by Whole Foods Market in the Mount Washington Mill shopping center.

And Mount Washingtonian Paul Yutzy, a teacher at Friends School, and his band, The Giggmohr Brothers will be performing. Other planned events include a pickup softball game. And swimming will be free at the Mount Washington Swimming Club, 2300 Enslow Road, from noon to 4 p.m.

This year's Honorary Centanarian in the parade will be Eloise Moore, who's not quite a centenarian at 96. She did it last year, too. Moore, a Springwell resident, moved here from Michigan to be close to her family.

This year's master of ceremonies will be Caroline Tufts. Her husband, Chris, longtime emcee of the Fourth of July festivities, died of cancer last year.