On the heels of a successful first performance at Cranston Stadium this past summer, the annual Fourth of July Drum and Bugle Corps Competition Summer Music Preview will return to the city once again in 2017, Cranston Mayor Allan W. Fung announced Monday.

The 28th annual show, which features drum and bugle corps from around the country, is scheduled for July 3. After such a successful experience this past summer, Summer Music Preview Chairman Tony Mederos said the show will be even bigger next year with nine World Class corps in the lineup, up from the six that performed in 2016.

“Our first year in Cranston was a great success and working together with all the city of Cranston officials made our experience even better,” Mederos said.

The Summer Music Preview is one of the highlights of Independence Day celebrations in Rhode Island every year. The event moved to Cranston from Bristol after it outgrew its previous venue in that town. Cranston Stadium has much more room for performers, equipment and associated vehicles. It can also handle larger crowds with a seating capacity of about 3,000.

The event falls under the umbrella of the Bristol Fourth of July Committee, which also organizes the Bristol Fourth of July Parade – the longest running parade in America celebrating its 232nd anniversary next year.

“Cranston residents can feel proud that our great city has become a host venue for one of the best Fourth of July celebrations in the country,” Fung said. “Cranston Stadium is one of the city’s numerous gems that make us a unique and desirable place to live. I would like to thank the Bristol Fourth of July Committee and the Summer Music Preview organizers for their commitment to Cranston.”

For more information, visit july4thbristolri.com.