'Strawberry Party' and other 4th of July events set this weekend. Here are the details

Steven Spearie, State Journal-Register
·3 min read
Declan Walling enjoys his strawberry shortcake during the annual "Clara Irwin's Strawberry Party" at the Elijah Iles House, Thursday, July 4, 2019, in Springfield, Ill.
Declan Walling enjoys his strawberry shortcake during the annual "Clara Irwin's Strawberry Party" at the Elijah Iles House, Thursday, July 4, 2019, in Springfield, Ill.

Who needs fireworks?

Several events in and around the Springfield area celebrate Independence Day this weekend and beyond.

Here's what's on tap:

Independence Day Celebration, New Salem

New Salem State Historic Site holds its Independence Day Celebration from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 1-2 and 5.

There will be period demonstrations and the reading of the Declaration of Independence each day.

Abraham Lincoln lived and worked in New Salem, about 20 miles northwest of Springfield, from 1831 to 1837.

The village, reconstructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s and 40s, features 23 historically furnished buildings, including several homes, stores and tradesmen's shops.

For more information, visit www.lincolnsnewsalem.com.

Looking for July 4th fireworks? Here's a day-by-day list of Springfield-area displays

Reading of Declaration of Independence, Chatham

The eighth annual public reading of the Declaration of Independence will take place at the Veterans Memorial Square in Chatham at noon Monday.

Chief readers of the Declaration of Independence are Les “Sarge” Morgan, Jayson Hoffman, Mayor Dave Kimsey, Jared Koester and Steve Welch.

There will be patriotic vocal music selections performed by the Glenwood High School Show Choir at 11:45 a.m.

More: How a sign symbolizes the past and future of Springfield's oldest independently run grocer

Immediately following the program, the public is invited to attend the annual “Parchment and Pints,” a discussion of local, state and national history and the Declaration of Independence at the Chatham VFW, 214 W. Chestnut St., and moderated by retired social studies teacher Steve Welch.

In case of inclement weather, the program will take place in the Chatham American Legion Hall, 206 W. Chestnut St.

Elijah Iles House, the oldest residence in Springfield, Ill.
Elijah Iles House, the oldest residence in Springfield, Ill.

Strawberry Party

The Clara Irwin Strawberry Party takes place at the Elijah Iles House, 628 S. Seventh St., from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday.

Desserts and drinks will be available for a small charge. There will be games, music and a shared reading of the Declaration of Independence.

The annual event celebrates Clara Irwin, the wife of Robert Irwin, the second owner of the Iles House, then at Sixth and Cook streets. Clara Irwin was known for her advocacy of the horticultural arts and also for her strawberries and strawberry parties in the 1840s and 50s.

Robert Irwin was a merchant and a friend of Lincoln's. He was one of the founders of Marine Bank.

For more information, visit www.ileshouse.org.

Acquisitions Chief Ian Hunt speaks about a 1854 handwritten letter from Lincoln donated by Guy Fraker, of Bloomington, Ill., attorney, author and Lincoln collector, for the collection of the ALPLM during a ceremony at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield, Ill., Thursday, July 1, 2021. Abraham Lincoln’s 1854 letter to Elihu Powell says that he has decided not to serve as a state representative again and according to scholars meant that he had his sights on the U.S. Senate. [Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register]

Tales From the Vault

Led by acquisitions chief Ian Hunt, the July 8 edition of Tales from the Vault at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum will take a look at one of the original copies of the Gettysburg Address.

The ALPLM copy of the address is known as "the Edward Everett copy" and is one of five known to be written in Lincoln's hand.

Lincoln’s address connected the struggle of the Civil War to the signing of the Declaration of Independence and has since been regarded as one of the most powerful expressions of freedom and liberty.

The hybrid event (in person or on the ALPLM Facebook page) begins at noon. The event is free.

Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788, sspearie@sj-r.com, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: July 4th events in store for Springfield, IL, area