Thanksgiving parade in Plymouth is this weekend. What to know
PLYMOUTH − Hundreds of thousands of people from all walks of life have traveled to the Plymouth Harbor and waterfront to experience a bounty of American history.
That history will be brought to life with the annual America's Hometown Thanksgiving Celebration and Parade this Saturday.
In addition to all the floats that have become a mainstay of the parade, there will several historical reenactments and activities for the entire family.
The parade will begin at 9 a.m. with opening ceremonies at Plymouth Rock before stepping off at 10 a.m., when the parade will proceed on Main Street to Court Street.
A craft beer and wine garden will be open on the waterfront from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will also be a children's pavilion, food trucks and historical villages.
The National Drum and Bugle Corps will perform at 6:30 p.m. on the waterfront.
How can I watch the Plymouth parade on TV?
The 27th annual parade will be aired live on WCVB Channel 5 from 10 a.m. to noon.
While Channel 5 has long aired the parade live on TV, it will expand viewing options to include streaming and on-demand playback through its Very Local app.
The station's parent company, Hearst, will air the parade nationally for the first time in 24 markets.
An encore presentation will be broadcast on Thanksgiving, Nov. 23, from 9 to 11 a.m.
Plymouth road closures due to the parade
7 a.m. through the end of the parade: Water Street from Union Street to the rotary at Town Wharf will be closed. Side streets closed for staging include Brewster, Howland and Chilton streets, as well as Memorial Drive.
8:30 a.m. through the end of the parade: Main Street Extension to Main and Court streets and ending at the corner of Nelson and Court streets (Pioppi’s Plaza/the old Benny’s) will be closed. The section from Nelson Street to Holmes Field will also be closed for exit staging.
Shuttle service in Plymouth and Kingston for the parade
Shuttle buses with free parking will be available to and from the waterfront from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The shuttles will run every 15 minutes, dropping off and picking up at Lincoln Street (Nathaniel Morton School/School Administration Building) in Plymouth.
Service will also be available at the MBTA commuter rail station in Kingston (off Exit 17). A train will leave South Station at 8:20 a.m. and arrive in Kingston at 9:17 a.m.
Rain forecast for parade day Saturday
The parade is on rain or shine. The early forecasts are showing rain for Saturday in Plymouth, mainly before 2 p.m. It's expected to be gusty and seasonably warm, with a high in the upper 50s.
Plymouth Philharmonic's Friday night concert
The day before the parade, the Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra will present "Baroque & Beyond," a concert in partnership with America’s Hometown Thanksgiving Celebration.
Among other selections, the performance will include Baroque-era favorites such as Pachelbel's "Canon and Gigue," Handel's Water Music Suite No. 2 and Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 2, as well as several pieces of Americana music.
For more on the concert and to buy tickets, visit Plymouthphil.org.
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Plymouth America's Hometown Thanksgiving Parade is Saturday, Nov. 18
