LYNN — Families and communities gathered in red, white and blue across Lynn to barbeque hamburgers and hotdogs, play lawn games, and celebrate Independence Day in the sun.
Fourth of July Festivals in Gowdy Park and Fays Avenue returned after brief hiatuses during the pandemic.
Gowdy Park festivities kicked off with a parade around the park led by a fire engine. Dozens of kids on patriotically decorated bikes and homemade floats followed behind, forming a sea of red, white, and blue.
The parade finished by the baseball field, where organizer Todd Bacon, Mayor Jared Nicholson, and Ward 1 City Councilor Wayne Lozzi greeted the crowd and led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Nicholson said, “At an event like this, one important takeaway is the gratitude for the organizers, people like Todd Bacon and all the folks that put this together because it doesn’t happen without volunteers. Another takeaway is the feeling of community — a shared space, shared activities to get to know one another and share in some family fun.”
Lozzi said he was glad to see the event come back after the pandemic “put a damper on festivities everywhere.” He continued by saying, “It’s become a tradition. I’ve been coming here for almost 30 years, 18 as a counselor … It’s just so nice to see families. They bring their young ones, they participate in the races and pony rides, the painting faces, there’s just so much to do.”
Children also enjoyed bubbles, snacks, and balloon animals. Lynn Police K-9 units hosted a display of the canines’ skills for kids and adults alike. Volunteers passed out hot dogs, cold waters, Italian ice, and donuts. Other volunteers hosted raffles, including a 50-50 raffle as well as others for toys, a round of golf at Gannon, and a giftcard to a hair salon.
Meredith Nichols of Lynnfield said that this was the third year that she and her family have celebrated at Gowdy. “This is our neighborhood,” she said. Nichols said her older kids were excited to have the celebration back and always decorate their bikes. Her youngest, Gwyneth, was experiencing it all for the first time.
This was the first year Bacon and his wife, Colleen, organized the event. She said, “It’s exciting. We had a good turn out. We had no idea what to expect for numbers, we are lucky the weather worked out for us. I just hope [people] had a good time gathering after all this time of isolation.”
“I was a little anxious,” said Todd Bacon, about running the event for the first time. “I am very pleased. Things seem to be working out well so far … we’ll be doing it again next year.”
Also in Lynn, Fays Avenue residents held their 80th annual block party Monday morning, the first since the COVID-19 pandemic. The event kicked off with a parade led by Engine 7 firefighters, and then a block party with an array of lawn games, food, beverages, and Medford balloon artist Big Al, who tied balloons into animals and crowns for the children.
Event organizer Christine Efimetz said that she enjoys seeing the neighborhood’s 80-year tradition become a family tradition for so many former residents.
“The best thing about it is not just the people from this neighborhood coming, but that people who used to live here come back. Some people’s parents used to live here, and they bring their kids, and they bring their grandkids, and even if they don’t have anybody living here anymore, they come because they used to live here,” Efimetz said. “It’s a huge tradition. This year’s kind of small, because we haven’t done it in a few years since COVID, but it’ll get back up there.”
The event’s MC, resident Matt Healy, said that he moved to Lynn during the pandemic, and that volunteering for this event helped him have fun and get to know his neighbors a little better.
“I’m new to the neighborhood. I moved here two years ago, but they didn’t do this because of COVID, but we wanted to meet some people and get involved … We had heard that this was the 80th year, and they’ve been doing it since people were driving Model Ts around,” Healy said. “I think it was a great time. It’s great to get the kids out here to have some fun, for people to get together, meet each other. We’ve been cooped up for two years, so it’s good to get back out here.”
Long-time Lynn resident Bob Mulvihill said that he’d been attending the Fays Avenue block party for 60 years, and that he thinks it’s all about children and families having a good time.
“I’ve been going to this party for 60 years. I think it’s the little ones that bring it all together. It’s watching the good ones have a good time. It turns the neighborhood into a community, and it hasn’t changed at all. It’s a good tradition,” Mulvihill said.
Anthony Cammalleri can be reached at [email protected].
Emma Fringuelli can be reached at [email protected].
