Williston has plenty to offer this weekend for those returning to their hometown for reunions as well as visitors and residents.

Events include the annual Blast dance and raffle, Ribfest, the Old-Fashioned Independence Day celebration and a free concert on the Fourth of July. The celebrating starts early with a 66-cent breakfast at 7 a.m. Friday on Main Street.

Crafts and sidewalk sales are available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and "Fun on the Run Inflatable Amusements" are available for children from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Main Street. The children's entertainment is free.

The Rockin' Ribfest cooking begins Friday morning on Main Street, and people can sample the food at 5:30 p.m. This year's Ribfest will have more award categories, T-shirts, rib cooking demonstrations, music and a beer garden, with the beer garden being separate to maintain a backyard barbecue atmosphere for the family.

Participants are to be ready for judging at 5 p.m. and serving the public at 5:30 p.m. Music begins at 3:45 p.m. Admission to Ribfest is free, but ribs are sold for $1 and side dishes are available for a freewill donation. The Blast XXI Street Dance begins at 9 p.m. downtown. Admission is $10 and dancers must be 21 years old or older, said Diane Hagen, executive director of the Williston Area Chamber of Commerce. Those who participate in the dance are buying raffle tickets, and the drawing is at midnight Saturday. Prizes include a 7-day Hawaiian vacation for two, a 7-day Cancun-area resort vacation, a Las Vegas getaway, televisions, date-night packages and movie theater passes.

Raffle tickets can be purchased at the chamber office, 10 Main St. in Williston, from any chamber member or members of the local baseball committee. Parts of Broadway Avenue and Main Street will be blocked off for the event, Hagen said.

In case of inclement weather, the event is to be moved to the Raymond Family Community Center, 1102 11th St. W. in Williston. Last year, the Blast dance was canceled due to severe weather, Hagen said.

Also Friday night, The Radio Stars of Fargo are performing a free concert at the Virgil Syverson Performance Center in Harmon Park, located at the intersection of 11th Street and Second Avenue.

The Radio Stars is a country-Western band with ties to the area; member "Magic" Merrill Piepkorn is from Stanley.

On Saturday, the Old-Fashioned Independence Day Celebration happens in Harmon Park. At 8 a.m. is the Avenue of Flags. At 10:30 a.m., a parade will make its way down Main Street. Penny and Pals of Fargo will perform music for children at 9:30 a.m and 11 a.m.

Other entertainment throughout the day includes Williston's City Band, The King is Alive Show, and Danny, Elvis and The Groovetones. A free barbecue meal is planned for 11:30 a.m. and a free apple pie and ice cream social is planned for 2:15 p.m. according to the Williston Area Chamber of Commerce's Web site.

Of course, an Independence Day celebration isn't complete without fireworks. After the races at the Williston Basin Speedway northeast of town, a fireworks display is planned. The races begin at 8 p.m.

Fourth of July events in Williston close with a solo acoustic concert at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the Spring Lake Park Amphitheater. Eldon Johnson of Fargo, a Williston native, is offering the free concert. His band, True North, released its first CD, "Down the Road," in April 2006; and its second CD, "The Other Side," was released in June 2009. Johnson is a guitarist, singer and songwriter.