Fireworks will ring out over Legislative Hall Saturday night as Dover celebrates Fourth of July 2.0, picking up from where the rain canceled Independence Day plans for the city earlier this year. (Delaware State News file photo)

DOVER –– After a rainy Fourth of July, many of the same festivities that were postponed on that day will take place this weekend, weather permitting, with Dover’s Fourth of July 2.0.

“For this Saturday, I’m guessing it’ll be a more mellow vibe than we get in July. It’ll be different but we hope it’ll be a great show for those who come out and we hope many, many people will,” said Greg Patterson, president of Dover’s Fourth of July Committee.

The Biggs Museum of American Art on Federal Street will offer exhibits and activities as part of its “50 Years, 50 Works, 50 Reasons” –– a celebration of author and illustrator Maurice Sendak.

“We are thrilled to be a partner for the re-scheduled Downtown Dover Fourth of July celebration –– an event which brings so many people to Dover and the Biggs,” said Stephanie Adams, development and marketing manager for the Biggs. “We also look forward to hosting children for a special Biggs Kids craft activity, creating monsters like the ones in Sendak’s ‘Where the Wild Things Are.’”

The Biggs will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and admission will be free.

Although “50 Years, 50 Works, 50 Reasons” will be featured on Saturday, events coinciding with the exhibit will be ongoing at the Biggs and Dover Public Library through Sept. 11.

Due to anticipated heavy rain and wind, the program “The First People of the First State: A Lenape Celebration of Heritage,” originally scheduled for Saturday on the Dover Green, has been postponed. The Old State House and First State Heritage Park remain open for visitation. The event will be rescheduled in the near future

As part of Fourth of July 2.0, children’s activities will be set up on the west end of Legislative Mall from 4 to 8 p.m.

At 6 p.m. the Smooth Sounds Dance Band will perform on Legislative Mall.

After the opening ceremony at 7 p.m., the Dover High School Senator Band will play in place of the 287th Army Band of the Delaware National Guard, which could not be rescheduled to this weekend.

“For the Fourth, we don’t have high school bands available for a concert because of schools being on summer vacation but this date change resulted in the opportunity to have Dover High, since school has started and the band was working even before school began on their music for their fall football,” Mr. Patterson said.

Fourth of July 2.0 will wrap up around 8:15 p.m. with an Independence Day fireworks show set to Broadway’s hit musical “Hamilton.”

“I guarantee there will be ‘Hamilton’ fans in the crowd rapping and singing along with George Washington, Marquis de Lafayette and King George, and I bet people who haven’t heard it before will go home and download it,” Mr. Patterson said.

As luck would have it, the forecast also looks threatening for Saturday. For any changes or cancellations, visit DelawareStateNews.net.

For more information and a full schedule, visit Dover4thofJuly.com.