Fourth of July Festivities

Monday, July 02, 2012

GoLocalWorcester Lifestyle Team

Whether you're a classic music fan, history buff, or just looking for an excuse to join in on some summery Fourth of July celebrations, there's something for everyone in Central Mass. Check out these local events in honor of our nation's Independence Day. If fireworks are your favorite, make sure you visit our list of the area's displays.

Happy Birthday America

Join the Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra for its opening summer concert on Tuesday, July 3rd at 8 p.m. at East Park (Christoforo Colombo Park), Shrewsbury Street, Worcester. The concert will be held in conjunction with the City of Worcester's annual Independence Day Celebration, leading up to fireworks at 9:30 p.m. Well-known Worcester soprano Jane Shivick will perform as a soloist with the orchestra which will perform works primarily by American composers including Bernstein, Copland, Sousa and Williams. Program will also include highlights from leading Broadway musicals and will feature Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture with the fireworks. Admission is FREE and open to the public. For those unable to attend, concert will be broadcast on WCUW, 91.3 FM.

The Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Alton Baggett, will present a concert of patriotic music, classical music, and Broadway favorites. Fireworks will accompany some of the music. Rain dates: Thursday, July 5 and Friday, July 6.

Annual East Brookfield Independence Day Celebration

Head over to East Brookfield for their festive Fourth celebration, running from July 6th to the 7th.

Their annual festivities include a talent show, karaoke and midway Friday 6:00 - 9:00 pm. Bring the kids and enjoy amusement rides, which will be just $1.00 per ride Friday night only. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top winners of the talent show in the kids, teens and adult categories. The three finalists will perform on Saturday July 7th.

The celebration continues Saturday July 7th (rain date Sunday July 8th). The East Brookfield Baptist Church will hold their annual pancake breakfast from 8:30 am - 10:30 am. Bikes, scooters, and carriages will parade down the street at 11:30 followed by the big parade down Main Street at noon. If parades and talent shows hasn't piqued your interest, there will be a softball game and sea creature interactive show at 3:30 pm followed by concerts featuring Chuck and Mud at 4:30 pm and Bad Tickers 7:00 pm. The event will be capped off with the spectacular fireworks display at 9:30.

There will be events at Connie Mack field all day on Saturday including amusement rides, a dunk tank, crafters, food booths, face painting, prize raffles, an Art Guild Open House, the Quaboag Valley Railroad Association Open House, and more.

Shrewsbury Parks and Recreation
Annual Fourth of July Celebration

The town of Shrewsbury will host their festivities at Dean Park on Main Street in Shrewsbury, July 4th from 12:00 - 4:00 pm.

The event will feature many family-friendly, fun activities including a decorated bike and doll carriage parade at 12:30 pm. Come and enjoy the music, face painting, games, and food vendors. Kids will love the inflatable moonwalks and amusement rides. What better way to celebrate this summer holiday.

The Meaning of the Fourth

In Worcester, a commemorative speech reading will take place on Thursday, July 5 at noon at the Worcester Common, 455 Main Street.

One of the country's most notable speakers and early activists, Frederick Douglass, took exception to being asked to commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence. That exception took the form his now famous lecture,The Meaning of the Fourth of July for the Negro, which he originally delivered July 5, 1852.

The reading will be held to celebrate the 160th Anniversary of his potent speech with a communal reading. Volunteers will line up to take turns reading paragraphs from Frederick Douglass' most famous speech, filling the public square with people reading along. In the event of rain, reading will be held in the Levi Lincoln Room, 3rd Floor of Worcester City Hall.

Preceding the public reading, the Worcester Historical Museum and the Worcester Women's History Project will host a Worcester Walking Tour from 11:15-11:45 a.m. Visit a number of historical sites and discuss what they have in common with Worcester's participation in the fight for civil rights. Tours will depart from the Worcester Common (meet at the red oval) at 11:15 and return to be part of the reading by 11:45. Tours are FREE.

This program is sponsored by the City of Worcester and the Worcester Cultural Coalition in collaboration with the American Antiquarian Society, Jeremiah's Inn, Higgins Armory Museum, John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley Heritage Corridor, Mass Humanities, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Breakfast Committee, Willis Center, Worcester Historical Museum, Worcester Public Library, Worcester Public Schools, Worcester Unit, NAACP, Worcester Women's History Project and Worcester Youth Center.