Across the country, Fourth of July celebrations ranged from fireworks and parades to family barbecues and pool parties. While some communities, such as Lynn, Nahant, and Swampscott, held their festivities on July 3, others, including Lynnfield, Marblehead, Peabody, and Saugus, still had plenty to celebrate yesterday.
The fireworks may have been on July 3, but block parties and festivities were still going on in Lynn. One such block party, at Fay Estate, has been going strong since 1942 and featured a parade, sponge relay, and the “famous” egg toss.
Lynnfield held its annual Pillings Pond Foundation 5K run, offering a family-friendly opportunity for residents and visitors to get active.
This year’s Marblehead celebrations began at 8:45 p.m. with the iconic Harbor Illumination, when flares were lit around the perimeter of the harbor, creating a glowing red halo. At 9 p.m., the main event—a fireworks display launched from a barge anchored at the mouth of the harbor—offered panoramic views from Crocker Park, Chandler Hovey Park, Fort Sewall, and countless boats.
The Nahant community gathered at the Wharf for music and fireworks. The band MojoSlim performed at 6 p.m., followed by fireworks at Bailey’s Hill at 9 p.m.
Peabody’s ward-by-ward Fourth of July festivities run from 9 a.m. to noon across six locations, featuring parades, games, sack races, bouncy houses, kiddie rides, music, free food, and more.
In Ward 1, residents can enjoy a parade, contests, and Treadwell’s ice cream at Raddin Park. Ward 2’s celebration at Welch School and O’Connor Park includes a parade, decorated bikes, field games, pony rides, face painting, and free lunch. Ward 3’s event at Connolly Park offers a parade, races, crafts, and the traditional egg toss. Ward 4’s festivities at Emerson Park feature a children’s parade, DJ, games, arts and crafts, a bounce house, and ice cream. In Ward 5, a parade with police escort kicks off the event at Lt. Ross Park, followed by races, hay hunts, a bouncy house, and lunch with raffles. Ward 6 residents can enjoy a parade, sack races, coin hunts, a moon bounce, Rainforest Reptile Shows, and lunch at Symphony Park.
Saugus kicked off its celebrations with the annual Third of July Lynnhurst Block Party, a tradition since 1917. Thursday’s party ran from 6 to 9 p.m. with music by the Brian Maes Band. The Fourth of July Lynnhurst Block Party began at 9 a.m. and continued until 11 a.m., featuring hot dogs, water, and popsicles.
Contests include Most Patriotic Costume, decorated dolly carriages, tricycles, and bicycles for children ages preschool to 10, as well as athletic contests: potato sack races (preschool to 13), three-legged races (8-13 and adult), running races (preschool to 15 and adult), tug of war (preschool to 10), haystack (preschool to 11), and balloon toss. Eating contests include watermelon eating and pie eating for ages 8 to 13.
Swampscott’s Fourth of July Races took place at Phillips Park. Residents were asked to gather by 10 a.m., with races starting at 10:30 a.m. Events include various race lengths for residents ages 3 to over 60. Entry is a donation to the Anchor Food Pantry, with suggested items including cereal, mac and cheese, and granola bars.
Whether it’s the Harbor Illumination in Marblehead, the family races in Swampscott, or Peabody’s neighborhood picnics, there were countless ways to celebrate the Fourth of July in the region.
