Red, white, and blue will be on full display across Lynn, Lynnfield Marblehead, Nahant, Peabody, Saugus, and Swampscott this Fourth of July, with fireworks, parades, and community celebrations marking the historic 250th anniversary of declaring independence.
LYNN
Lynn’s firework display will take place on Friday, at King’s Beach, starting at 9 p.m., with a rain date of Sunday.
Food will be served at the event; however, once the fireworks end, there will be no food served.
Ahead of the event, the city posted an advisory with information surrounding the event, as well as safety protocols.
Lynn Shore Drive will be closed to vehicle access from approximately 6-11 p.m. on Friday. The restrictions will go into effect starting at 3 p.m.
There will be no parking on Prescott Road on both sides, and no parking on the even-numbered side of Cherry Street.
Limited handicap parking will be available on Lynn Shore Drive between King’s Beach Road and Prescott Road. Residents in need of handicap parking are encouraged to arrive before 6 p.m.
A Lynn Police Department tent will be set up at Red Rock Park in case of an emergency; there will be a lost and found station managed by Lynn Fire and Police, and state police at Red Rock Park.
Across the city’s wards, numerous neighborhood events will take place throughout the weekend. Individual block parties will take place throughout the city’s wards, including Ward 6, where a block party will be hosted on West Neptune Street. The Pine Hill Civic Association will host its annual parade and games.
The parade will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, with check-in starting at 8:30 a.m. at the Hurd Street Entrance to Gallagher Park. This year, a new parade route will have participants travel down Hurd Street, left onto Linwood Street, then back up onto Ontario Street, returning to the park.
Participants are encouraged to wear red, white, and blue and decorate bikes, scooters, and floats.
In Ward 1, the Gowdy Park Association Celebration will begin with a 9 a.m. arrival for participants in this year’s parade with decorated bikes, scooters, and floats. From 9:30 a.m. to noon, there will be races, games, pony rides, creative balloons, a water balloon toss, a dunk tank, an ice cream truck, and other games.
LYNNFIELD
In Lynnfield, the town will celebrate Independence Day with the annual July 4 Boat Parade at Pillings Pond on Saturday. The event will start at the pond’s east end. Participants are expected to set sail at 11 a.m.
All watercraft are welcome to attend and decorate their vessels in patriotic colors, sailing the full perimeter of the pond.
MARBLEHEAD
Marblehead will celebrate Independence Day Saturday evening with its annual harbor illumination and fireworks display.
The fireworks are organized by the volunteer Marblehead Fireworks Committee and are completely donor-funded, according to the Marblehead Fireworks and Harbor Illumination website.
This year’s harbor illumination will take place at 8:45 p.m. with fireworks to follow at 9 p.m.
If viewing the fireworks by boat, “a safety zone around the barge will be implemented and patrolled, and vessels that are too close will be subject to boarding and heavy fines. Coast Guard regulations will be strictly enforced for your safety and those around you.”
High tide on Saturday is at 3:04 p.m., and low tide is at 9:02 p.m.
Aside from Marblehead Harbor, spectators can watch the display from several public locations around town, including Riverhead Beach, Fort Sewall, Fort Beach, Crocker Park, and Chandler Hovey Park.
Parking is available at Marblehead High School and the Recreation and Parks Department building. Leaving cars at home or downtown is also recommended.
The Horribles Parade kicks off at 10 a.m. and will feature children in homemade costumes, and is one of the town’s annual traditions. The route will start and end in the National Grand Bank parking lot on Pleasant Street.
Children may enter costumes in three categories: current events, original, and historical/patriotic. Each participating child will receive a bag of goodies.
Registration will be held from 6-8 p.m. Friday at the Gerry 5 Veterans Fireman’s Association, 210 Beacon St. Registration will continue from 8:30-9:30 a.m. on Saturday in the National Grand Bank parking lot. The event’s rain date is Sunday.
The Annual Marblehead Harbor Patriotic Boat Parade will be themed around the 250th anniversary of independence. All boaters are welcome to participate and encouraged to decorate patriotically.
Participants will muster at 11:30 a.m. at the “1MH” Buoy in Marblehead Harbor. The parade will be led by a marshall boat in a loop around the harbor.
Boaters are asked to monitor radio channel 71.
NAHANT
Celebrations in Nahant start on Friday at 5 p.m. with the Horribles Parade. Participants are encouraged to wear red, white, and blue, or whatever they desire. Kids can ride bikes, scooters, and small electric ride-on toys. Strollers and wagons are also allowed. Parade attendees should gather at the Spring Road Basketball Courts at 4:30 p.m. Parade participants will march with Nahant Police from the Spring Road Courts to Flash Road Park.
Then, on Saturday, the day kicks off with the annual Tortoise and the Hare Road Race from 8-10 a.m. Registration begins at 7:45 a.m. on Saturday. The 1- and 3-mile races are open to all ages, with starting and ending points at the Flash Road Fire Station. The event is in memory of Jack and Bob Doran.
At 9 a.m., behind the fire station, the annual field races include the 50-yard dash, egg toss, and three-legged race.
A Wharf Party, with musical performances from the band Mojo Slim, will be held with an ice cream truck from 6-9 p.m.
Finally, to cap off the evening of patriotic celebrations, fireworks will be sent off at Bailey’s Hill at 9 p.m.
PEABODY
Rather than one citywide event, each ward hosts its own celebration, with this year’s schedule featuring one standalone event in Ward 1 and two collaborative events bringing multiple wards together.
Residents can expect everything from sack races and face painting to live entertainment and community traditions that have become annual highlights for families across the city.
Ward 1 will kick off the holiday at Cy Tenney Park, with festivities beginning at 9:30 a.m. Participants are invited to gather on Blair Terrace for the annual patriotic bicycle, scooter, and skateboard parade before heading into the park for a morning of games and activities. The celebration includes a soccer skills challenge, potato sack races, hula hoop and free throw contests, a 50-yard dash, food, ice cream, and commemorative T-shirts for the first 300 attendees.
Wards 2, 3, and 4 are once again combining their annual celebration, which begins at 9 a.m. at the Welch School. Organizers have planned a full morning featuring the traditional patriotic bike parade, games, cotton candy, popcorn, Chick-fil-A, music, and giveaways. Shuttle buses will also transport seniors and other attendees from Connolly Park and the Carroll School to the festivities, helping make the event accessible to more residents.
Meanwhile, Wards 5 and 6 will hold their first combined Fourth of July celebration at Symphony Park, beginning at 9 a.m. Families can look forward to a patriotic parade, traditional races and games, food, the popular annual egg toss, and a special appearance by Reptile Rainforest, which will bring a variety of live animals for children and adults to meet.
Although each event offers its own traditions and activities, they all share the same purpose: bringing neighbors together to celebrate Independence Day close to home. With events spread throughout the city, residents have no shortage of opportunities to spend the holiday making memories with family, friends, and their community.
SAUGUS
Saugus’ celebrations will take place on Saturday, rain or shine, at the Saugus Iron Works, 244 Central St., from noon to 4 p.m.
The event will feature entertainment, including a reenactment of the town’s role before the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Saugus residents will also reenact historic moments from the Revolutionary War, including George Washington’s recount of the Revolutionary War, Parson Joseph Roby narrating Saugus’ role in the revolution, and a reenactment of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
A patriotic truck contest will also be held with decorated trucks on display in front of Saugus Town Hall. Winners will be announced at the Iron Works celebration, along with the winner of the “What Freedom Means to Me” essay contest.
The names of Saugus residents who fought in the American Revolution will also be read aloud.
The event will feature old-fashioned games, free food, music by DJ Anthony Aronne, and photo opportunities with George and Martha Washington cutouts.
SWAMPSCOTT
On Thursday, the Swampscott and Nahant Historical Societies partnered with S.U.R.E Diversity, Swampscott Recreation, and the Swampscott Public Library to present “Reading Frederick Douglass Together,” a public reading of “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July,” a speech written by Douglass. The event was hosted at Swampscott Town Hall. Ice cream and food vendors were on-site for purchases.
On Friday, Swampscott lights up the sky with fireworks from 5-9 p.m. in front of Town Hall. The event will feature live music from the Malibu Sands Beach Club. Food and beer vendors will be on site.
The annual July 4 Races will take place at Phillips Park on Saturday. Doors will open at 10 a.m., with the first race taking place at 10:30 a.m. A donation to the Anchor Food Pantry serves as an entry fee.
