MARBLEHEAD — The town celebrated Independence Day with an annual Harbor Illumination, fireworks, and the Horribles Parade. The fireworks were launched from a barge anchored at the mouth of the harbor and were visible from the parks at Fort Sewall, Chandler Hovey Park, and Crocker Park, as well as from the boats, the five yacht clubs, and several private residences all around the harbor.
Both the Harbor Illumination and the fireworks have been held annually for the last 20 years, with the exception of the years during the pandemic. Marblehead fireworks are continually ranked by Coastal Living Magazine in the Top 10 Spots to Celebrate the Fourth in the country, the official website of the Fireworks Committee says.
“The one thing that is unique about Marblehead fireworks is that our event is entirely outside of the town budget, so it’s all based on donations from the citizens of Marblehead and the businesses in town,” said Alexander Falk, chairman of the Fireworks Committee.
He said that the street closures were coordinated with the police department and the fire department. During the day the town also had a civilian barge patrol with several boats patrolling around the fireworks barge.
Another part of the celebration that is also unique to Marblehead is the Harbor Illumination.
“What we do is that we distribute road flares to all the owners who live right on the harbor, and as well as to the yacht clubs, and for the various town parks that are around the harbor,” said Falk.
The visitors said they come to Marblehead every year to enjoy the fireworks and to visit family.
“My son’s grandparents live in Marblehead, and we come almost every year to enjoy the fireworks; it’s a really nice Fourth of July,” said Kim Alexander.
Some came here to watch the fireworks, because they live in Marblehead, like Meri Warren and Bonni Carey, who said that they always came here and that was their spot to hang out with their friends.
“We are celebrating fireworks and the birth of our beautiful country with our family and friends,” said Alison Taylor.
The Horribles Parade that took place in the town Monday morning on Pleasant Street, is another favorite Marblehead tradition. The participants of the event said that many of those who brought their children to the parade yesterday participated in the parade as kids.
“Cause we have children now; it makes it a lot more fun,” said Marblehead resident Emily Towler.
A person walking next to her, Jenny Loop, said that it comes full circle, as they did the same when they were kids.
“We just do it every year,” said Chris Lambert.
Elizabeth de Montrichard said that it was a family tradition in Marblehead that dated back almost 50 years. This year de Montrichard, along with her childhood besties Lauren Gross and Laura Geraty, made their kids’ appearance on the parade become the center of attention.
“They have been friends since pre-kindergarten,” said mother of one of the three, Sheila Geraty.
Peter Lynch, father of Elizabeth de Montrichard, said that his daughter and her sisters grew up in Marblehead on Washington Street, and they participated in this parade over 40 years ago. Now that the three friends were grown up, they decided to dress their nine kids as the judges of the Supreme Court to show the need for a new, improved Supreme Court.
“They are the nine judges, sitting on the bench. They are friends,” said Joan Gross, another mother that took part in the same idea for the kids.
That’s how a procession of nine kids, including Georgia Lambert, Graham Lambert, Huck Bernstein, Scout Bernstein, Charlotte de Montrichard, Carolyn de Montrichard, Josephine de Montrichard, and Louis de Montrichard, dressed up in black and white appeared on Pleasant Street this year.
The Marblehead Horribles Parade became a town tradition indeed. Carol McHugh, organizer and co-chairman of the Gerry 5 Marblehead Horribles Parade Committee said that the event is sponsored by the local firemen’s social club, the Gerry 5 VFA.
“This is the 56th year that Gerry has done it, and we gave out prizes – half dollars, sandwich ice-creams, and goody bags,” said McHugh.
She said that they were doing pretty much the same this year as they did before. It cost them “a couple of thousands of dollars for the prizes and the goody bags,” said McHugh, and National Grand Bank gave their parking lot and their electrical supply power “for the speakers, and for the freezers for the ice-cream sandwiches.”
“Children get dressed up and that’s just a fun thing for them to do on the 4th July,” said McHugh.
“We are the American flag,” said Eleanor Fischer who came to the event with sisters Margaret and Victoria.
David Henderson said that his daughter Annie Henderson was dressed as Anna from “Frozen.” Josie Heller was dressed in the costume of Mirabel Madrigal from the movie “Encanto,” and Victoria Horvath’s family wore costumes from the Disney Junior show “Bluey.”
McHugh said that this year, around 250 kids attended the event. The prizes were given in three nominations — original, current events, and historic/patriotic. McHugh said that all of them were great, and that the parade was an important part of Marblehead history.
“Most of these kids, their parents walked in the parade when they were young,” said McHugh.
Oksana Kotkina can be reached at [email protected].
