4th of July in Boston
JUNE 27, 2019
THE 38TH ANNUAL BOSTON HARBORFEST CELEBRATION Boston Harborfest is a family friendly event that includes historical reenactments, Freedom Trail walks, boat tours, live entertainment, and more. The opening ceremony, with remarks from Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, features the cutting of a custom-designed cake on the West End of Faneuil Hall Marketplace on Thursday, June 27 (please note: this is a tentative date). And don't miss the Freedom Trail Changing of the Guard, where you can transport yourself back to 1775 to see colonists interact with British soldiers. Boston Harborfest continues through July 4, 2019.
JULY 3, 2019
Boston POPS Fireworks Spectacular
At 8:30 pm Conductor Keith Lockhart directs the Boston POPS Orchestra at the Hatch Shell, on the Esplanade, performing the identical concert which will be played on July 4th minus the fireworks display. Seating for this free event is on a first come basis, it will be crowded, but not as much as on the 4th.
JULY 4, 2019
The City of Boston's Official Independence Day Commemoration
(Flag Raising Ceremony & Parade)
At 9 am, there is a flag raising ceremony on City Hall Plaza followed by a parade to the Granary Burial Ground, where wreaths are laid on the graves of patriots. The parade then continues to the Old State House.
Reading of the Declaration of Independence
At this event held at 10 am, you can hear the Declaration of Independence read from the balcony of the Old State House - by the current Captain Commanding of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company - just as it was read to the citizens of Boston on July 18, 1776.
Boston POPS Does the Fourth & Fireworks
At 8:30pm Conductor Keith Lockhart directs the Boston POPS at the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade, the seating for this free event is on a first come basis (area opens to the public at 9am). Last year's event featured singer/songwriter Rachel Platten, Rhiannon Giddens of The Carolina Chocolate Drops, Indigo Girls and Rita Moreno. This televised program is followed by a spectacular 23-minute fireworks display over the Charles River. The best place for viewing the fireworks is along Memorial Drive on the Cambridge side of the Charles River.
Other special events
Boston by Foot:
BBF offers several tours on the 4th, including "Footloose on the Freedom Trail" and "Ben Franklin: Son of Boston" during the day and the Dark Side of Boston at 6pm. Boston by Foot
Charlestown Navy Yard:
Chipping Away!
Come celebrate the amazing progress of USS Constitution's current restoration. After viewing hidden parts of the Ship now revealed during dry dock, visit the Museum and discover the secrets that made her so successful. The Museum's interactive exhibit, Forest to Frigate, lets you examine the science, technology, and engineering that created a superior warship and challenges you to put your knowledge and skill to use in designing your own. Hands on/minds programs and exhibits ongoing throughout Harborfest and beyond!" Constitution Museum
Faneuil Hall:
Watch a short film that tells the stories behind Massachusetts' national parks including a glimpse at our revolutionary history. Or take in a Faneuil Hall talk with a NPS Ranger, discovering its importance as a marketplace and meeting place from the 18th-century to the present. At 11am the "Great Oration," in The Great Hall is delivered by a prominent citizen. National Park Services
Freedom Trail Foundation:
Walk Into History Tours along Boston's iconic Freedom Trail led by 18th century costumed guides (90 minutes) Admission $8-$14, tickets online. Tours depart from the Boston Common Visitors Center as well as the BosTix kiosk next to Faneuil Hall. At Noon there's an African-American Patriots Tour departing from the Boston Common. Freedom Trail Foundation
Meetings, Mobs, Martyrs Tours - From Faneuil Hall to the Old South Meeting House
Join a National Park Service Ranger for a 60 minute walk focusing on Faneuil Hall, Old State House, Boston Massacre Site, and Old South Meeting House. National Park Service
Old North Church:
Guided tours of the Church's bell ringing chamber and crypt offered on the hour and half hour all day except for 12:00 and 12:30. At 10am, join costumed interpreters for a lively reading of the Declaration of Independence. And don't miss the Chocolate Demonstrations! Old North Church
Old South Meeting House:
Free for children 18 and younger. Eavesdrop on meetings leading up to the Boston Tea Party, participate in scavenger hunts, and take a quiz to determine whether YOU would have been Patriot or Loyalist. Old South Meeting House
Old State House:
Characters from the pages of history will return to the Old State House after 240 years to share with visitors what it was like to live in Boston in the days leading up to the American Revolution. Declaration of Independence will be read from the balcony at 10am as it was on July 18, 1776. Old State House
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