The Independence Day activities this year include a little something for everyone.
New Bedford will have fireworks for the whole region to enjoy, and Fairhaven will have a car cruise and parade to Fort Phoenix for a ceremony that will include firing the cannons.
As this is our last issue before our two-week break, we are including some events that go beyond the next week or two.
Look for us again on 7/21. Happy Fourth of July, Everyone!
Car Cruise, Parade & more
A classic car and vehicle cruise and parade will lead off Fairhaven’s July 4th celebration before the town’s annual ceremony at Fort Phoenix.
On Monday, July 4, the Car Cruise will line up at 8:30 a.m. at Fairhaven High School, 12 Huttleston Ave. There the “big flag” will be raised. The cruise vehicles will leave the high school at 9:00 a.m. and will cruise through the streets of Fairhaven. The cruise will wind up heading south on Green Street, passing Cushman Park.
A parade of floats and marchers will line up on the Green Street side of Cushman Park at 8:30 a.m. When the Car Cruise passes, the parade will step off from Cushman Park, heading south on Green Street along the same route the cruise took to the fort.
The Car Cruise and Parade are sponsored by the Fairhaven Lions Club and the North Fairhaven Improvement Association, with the help of local car clubs.
At approximately 10:00 a.m., an Independence Day Ceremony will be held at Fort Phoenix, concluding with the firing of the fort’s five large cannons.
For information about the cruise or the parade, contact John Medeiros at 508-990-0000.
Fireworks Spectactular
FREE, family-friendly event. Celebrate Independence Day with a spectacular fireworks display over New Bedford Harbor! Presented by Mayor Jon Mitchell and the City of New Bedford, the fireworks spectacular will take place overlooking State Pier on Mon., 7/4, at 9:00 p.m.
The fireworks will be staged from a barge off State Pier in New Bedford Harbor. Spectators who wish to view the fireworks overlooking State Pier are advised to park for free in the Elm Street and Zeiterion garages downtown and view from lower Union Street and Front Street. Lower Union Street (east of Water Street) will be closed to vehicle traffic and offers ideal fireworks viewing. Please note that State Pier will NOT be accessible and there will be NO PARKING on the evening of July 4th.
Sponsored by Hawthorn Medical Associates and supporting sponsors St. Anne’s Credit Union and New Bedford Whaling Museum. Barge provided courtesy of Tucker-Roy Marine Towing and Salvage, Inc. and AGM Marine Contractors Inc.
Fairhaven High School Tours
Fridays, 7/1, 8, 15, from 10–11:30 a.m. Fairhaven High School, 12 Huttleston Ave., Fairhaven
Tour the “Castle on the Hill,” which was donated to the town by Henry H. Rogers in 1906. Guide: Bob Foster. Sponsored by the Fairhaven High School Alumni Association.
For more information, email info@fairhavenalumni.org.
Unitarian Memorial Church Tours
Tuesday & Thursday afternoons, 2–4 p.m., 102 Green St., Fairhaven
See the inside of the magnificent English gothic Unitarian Memorial Church, built in 1901-1904 by Henry H. Rogers in memory of his mother. Amazing examples of stone cutting, wood carving and stained glass make this one of the most beautiful churches in New England. Accessible. Donations accepted.
Pirates & Privateers
Presentation at Fort Phoenix on Fridays at 10 a.m., through September. Start at Fort Phoenix flagpole, Fort Phoenix, Old Fort Rd., Fairhaven
Is there really pirate treasure buried on Sconticut Neck? Why might you become a privateer instead of joining the Navy? What’s the deal with the parrot on the shoulder?
Hear tales of pirates, Revolutionary War era privateers, and historical Fort Phoenix presented by Greybeard, an 18th century gunner from the privateer sloop Broome, and Abigail “Abby” Black, a ship’s doctor who grows herbal remedies in her village garden when not at sea. They are sometimes visited by other members of the “Companie.” Learn which things you think you know about pirates are myths based on fiction, the difference between pirates and “legal” privateers, and why grog wasn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Presentation includes a demonstration firing of a black powder swivel gun. Weather permitting.
Monday Morning Fun at The Visitors Center
Mondays July 11 through August 22, 9–11:30 a.m., program at 10:00 a.m., Fairhaven Visitors Center, 141 Main Street, Fairhaven
A fun morning for kids aged 5 to 12 and their parents or guardians on the lawn of the Visitors Center. Play old-fashioned lawn games like trap ball, nine pins, Jarts, bean bag tossing, hoop rolling, jumping in the bounce house and more.
Visit Heart Henna’s face painting booth. Have some Dell’s frozen lemonade. There will be visits by “Buttons” and “Babs” from Carousel Family Fun Center and from Chuck E. Cheese.
And at 10:00 a.m. each week there will be a different guest program. There are charges for face painting and lemonade. Sponsored by the Office of Tourism. For more information, call 508-979-4085 or email FaithavenTours@aol.com.
Concerts Under The Stars
The Fairhaven Improvement Association presents Music in the Center at Town Hall, 7:00 p.m. on Thursdays, 7/14 through 8/11.
“Concerts Under the Stars” is presented rain or shine, thanks to our major sponsor, Southern Mass Credit Union.
• 7/14: Buzzard Blue Band Well Music Fans, be prepared to sit back and enjoy the music of a returning old favorite group here to play your favorite Blues sounds.
• 7/21: The Infractions The name says it all. Come and relax, sit & enjoy the musical stylizations of one of the most popular of our local groups.
• 7/28, Shipyard Wreck…Unplugged. A true Son of Norway by way of Fairhaven and local musician of note is back on the front stairs of the Town Hall doing what he does best…..Entertaining his fans!
• Aug. 4: Absolute Well, this is it, here comes the best music of the 50’s and the 60’s, here to impress Fairhaven in a Big way.
• Aug. 11: Eddie and the Exciters Closing this successful season is a Great local Band once again bringing us that wonderful Doo Wop ‘50s sound.
Historic Canoe in NB
A traditional Hawaiian double-hulled voyage canoe, Hōkūlea, will be making an historic visit to New Bedford from July 5-8. New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, in partnership with the City of New Bedford, will be hosting the vessel and its crew as it makes a worldwide voyage.
The crew will offer canoe tours, dockside activities, as well as connect with members of local area Native American tribes. The Hōkūle’sa has voyaged traditionally for 40 years, sailing over 150,000 nautical miles throughout the Pacific. Their current worldwide voyage began in 2013 with a Mālama Hawaiʻi sail throughout the Hawaiian archipelago, and in 2014 to 2015, two of their canoes visited 24 islands and six countries throughout Polynesia.
The Hawaiian name for this voyage, Mālama Honua, means “to care for our Earth.” According to Hōkūlea’s website, living on an island chain teaches us that our natural world is a gift with limits and that we must carefully steward this gift if we are to survive together.
As we work to protect cultural and environmental resources for our children’s future, the Pacific voyaging traditions teach us to venture beyond the horizon to connect and learn with others. The Worldwide Voyage is a means by which the Hōkūlea now engages all of Island Earth—bridging traditional and new technologies to live sustainably, while sharing, learning, creating global relationships, and discovering the wonders of this precious place we all call home.
The vessel is scheduled to arrive in New Bedford Harbor just after noon on July 5, dependent on weather and safety, since Hōkūlea utilizes traditional, non-instrument (no GPS, sextants, or clocks) navigation and has no auxiliary engines. A traditional welcome ceremony is planned for the same day at 1:00pm-2:00pm at State Pier. Canoe tours and dockside activities will be open to the public free of charge at Coast Guard Park, check Destination NewBedford.org for hours.
Track the Hōkūlea’s voyage in real time by visiting http://www. hokulea.com/track-the-voyage/.
New Bedford Folk Fest
The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center presents the 21st Annual New Bedford Folk Festival Sat., 7/9, Sun., 7/10 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., with an impressive lineup of the best in contemporary, Americana, traditional, blues and Celtic folk music.
More than 70 artists, including Livingston Taylor, Kate Taylor, Cheryl Wheeler will perform on seven stages throughout historic downtown New Bedford, ranging from the 1,200 seat Zeiterion Performing Arts Center to the intimacy of the “Meet the Performer” area.
The festival also offers activities that are free and open to the public including: The BayCoast Bank Family Fun Tent, the updated Food Court & Bar, and the seven-block craft vendor marketplace.
Special VIP Weekend Passes are $100; Single-Day and Weekend Admissions are $15 through $25. Children under 12 are free.
Tickets and information are available at www.zeiterion.org and www.newbedfordfolkfestival.com, 508-994-2900, and the Zeiterion box office, 684 Purchase St., New Bedford.
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