The rocket's red glare will shine over the skies of the Pasquotank tomorrow night, but first there's a whole lot of shakin' going on in Elizabeth City.

Downtown at Waterfront Park, beginning at 5:30 p.m., Independence Day can be celebrated with all the glory and festivity befitting a small coastal community. According to Russ Haddad, director of tourism for the Elizabeth City Visitors Bureau, the town joined forces with Arts of the Albemarle to bring area residents one of the best July 4th Harbor Nights festivals ever.

First there is the obvious. There will be fireworks and they will be bigger and better than in recent memory. Haddad says that for the first time in about five years the fireworks will be shot from a barge in the middle of the river.

This means the fireworks display will be bigger and taller, he says, adding that they will be visible from more vantage points this year.

"Now we're able to do bigger shells," Haddad says. "The problem in the past is that we were too close to buildings."

But that's the end of the evening, after all the music. Yes, there will be music and plenty of it. And not just local bands, although they will play a part. In fact, two local bands will open the show.

Haddad says Harbor Nights has partnered with Capsan Media, owners of 104.9 Classic Rock and others, to bring the winner, and runner up — band names were not available at press time — of the media company's recent battle of the bands competition.

The runner up will take the stage at 5:30 p.m. and the winner will follow at 6:15 p.m., opening for the headline act, Mountain Heart.

A contemporary bluegrass band, Mountain Heart is high energy, original music that comes straight from its Appalachian roots, complete with guitar, banjo, fiddle, stand-up bass and mandolin.

Based in Nashville, Tenn., Haddad says this group of pickers are about to become one of the hottest bands on the country music scene today.

"That is a fairly big deal to be able to capture a group like this that is on the cusp of greatness," says Haddad.

Also on the roster will be a kids area featuring the ubiquitous, inflatable bouncy tents, face painting and more.

For the adults, there will be a beer garden and various vendors will provide food and drink.

Haddad says this year's event is also special because so many people in the community pitched in to make it happen.

He says Debbie Malenfant, owner of The City Wine Sellar, put out donation jars around town and community members donated to help make this year's event special.