Two-hundred-and-fifty years ago, in 1776, John Adams wrote that American independence “ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations, from one end of this continent to another.”
One-hundred years later, the Concord Daily Monitor reprinted the founding father’s words, kicking off the city’s celebration of America’s centennial birthday. In 1976, the Concord Monitor did the same to mark the nation’s bicentennial.
With the semiquincentennial fast approaching, it is only natural that we honor tradition.
This July 4, Americans are celebrating the 250-year anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and Concord will be marking the occasion just as Adams intended — with plenty of fun and festivities.
The parade will kick off at 9 a.m. with a variety of antique vehicles, local businesses, marchers, floats and an eagle biplane going down Main Street.
After the parade, the State House lawn will host a ceremony featuring keynote speeches from New Hampshire’s congressional delegation and state officials. A Concord High School student will sing the national anthem, and Lafayette reenactors will be in attendance alongside the New Hampshire Sons of the American Revolution’s Color Guard. Cannons will be fired at the ceremony’s conclusion.
The New Hampshire Historical Society will be open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., offering the public free admission to their various Revolutionary War exhibits, and the State House will be open to the public from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The State House currently houses one of 26 existing 1776 Dunlap Broadsides of the Declaration of Independence, available for viewing through July 8. Roughly 200 of these copies of the Declaration were printed and distributed across America, but most were lost to wear-and-tear.
It also holds the 1823 William J. Stone engraving of the Declaration, which will be available for viewing through July 10.
The Concord Farmers’ Market will host vendors offering a variety of local goods from 8 p.m. to 12 p.m. on Capitol Street.
At 2 p.m., head over to Memorial Field to catch the American Legion Baseball game, where the Concord Post 21 will face Waterford Connecticut Post 161 in a double header.
Celebrations will continue at Memorial Field, with food vendors opening at 6 p.m., and the Nevers band playing at 7 p.m. before a fireworks show lights up the night sky at 9:20 p.m.
Some roads will be closed from 8 to 11 a.m. to accomodate festivities. Main Street will be closed from Hills Avenue to Center Street. Storrs Street will be closed, though there will be access to the parking garage. Pleasant Street Extension will be closed from Storrs Street to North Main Street. Hills Avenue will be closed from Storrs Street to South Main Street, and North/South Main Street will be closed from Hills Avenue to Storrs Street. Capitol Street will also be closed.
The segment of Main Street in front of the DoubleTree hotel will be closed for northbound traffic but open for southbound traffic. Center Street will be closed while the parade is crossing.
South State Street, Green Street and Warren Street will be accessible to cars, but motorists will be unable to turn onto Main Street.
All parking garages will be open, and the TD Bank lot will also be open for parking.
Starting at 3:30 p.m. on July 4, South Fruit Street will be limited to one-way traffic going north, from Clinton Street to Pleasant Street. Redington Road will be one-way going east, from Tuttle Street to South Fruit Street. Minot Street will be one-way going north from Pleasant Street to School Street.
