This Fourth of July will mark 250 years since the nation declared its independence from England. With celebrations just days away, event organizers across Massachusetts are thinking about democracy and creating community in a time of political division.
In Littleton, Massachusetts, there will be a town picnic and talks at the town’s historical society. Littleton residents and local students will read the Declaration of Independence aloud.
Andrea Curran, president of the Littleton Historical Society, said she’s been drawing comparisons between what the colonists were going through in 1776 and the current political climate under President Donald Trump.
“If you read the Declaration of Independence ... and read the part that they call the grievances, they [the colonists] were furious because of all the things that the king was doing and not letting them have a say,” she said. “If you read that with what’s going on now in mind, it’s really powerful.”
Curran said she hopes people who attend the event realize that “democracy is not a done deal.”
“We’ve become complacent over time, thinking that, ‘Hey, we’re all set, we’re in a democracy here.’ And recently, it doesn’t seem so much like a democracy anymore,” she said. “Maybe if people sort of pay attention to how it all started, they’ll be able to get behind it in a more significant way now.”
The historical society will also display a British cannon that was used in the Revolutionary War.
“There were four of them in all, and the other three have been lost. But this one had been captured by the Patriots and then actually used on the Redcoats during the Battle of Bunker Hill,” Curran. “It was hidden away in Concord for a while, and then it was taken to Groton — where it’s been ever since.”
In Plymouth, volunteers with the nonprofit July 4 Plymouth Inc. are hosting the town’s annual Fourth of July 5K and parade. The Plymouth Philharmonic will also be performing Pilgrim Memorial State Park ahead of the fireworks display.
Matt Tavaris, the lead parade organizer, said the planning for this year focused on maximizing the fireworks display.
“We started fundraising really early on because we knew we wanted to bolster the fireworks, and it’s an honor to be able to put on something like this in America’s hometown,” he said. “We couldn’t be prouder to showcase Plymouth to a lot of people from out of state, out of the country, experiencing the Fourth of July in America for the first time.”
Tavaris said because the parade has a lot of “local flavor,” the town really “comes together to support each other, and no matter your background.”
“That’s the spirit — you can see it on the faces of the participants as they go through. It doesn’t matter race, creed or color, we all come together,” he said. “This is our community, and we want to show off what’s the best part about America. And that it takes a whole lot of different people to make up our country.”
For nearly 30 years, the Spirit of Springfield has hosted the city’s annual Independence Day celebration, Star Spangled Springfield. The event will include food vendors, a performance by the Springfield Symphony Concert Band and a fireworks display at Riverfront Park.
Spirit of Springfield’s president Judy Matt said this year’s celebration is “much more meaningful” because it’s bringing people together.
“On the Fourth of July, there’s no better place to be than with your neighbor, no matter where they’re from,” she said. “It’s a wonderful celebration, and it just makes me feel very grateful when I see that, because it’s everybody’s holiday, and the mission of this organization is to give people the opportunity to celebrate.”
Matt adds that the event is nothing political at all.
“It’s really just neighbors, it’s just being an American,” she said. “And nothing is better than the Fourth of July for that.”
