Where to celebrate the Fourth of July on the South Shore: Fireworks, parades and more

Joel Barnes, The Patriot Ledger
Updated ·8 min read

From food to fireworks, here is your guide to celebrating Independence Day on the South Shore this year. There will be lots of family-friendly activities to mark the holiday, including concerts and parades.

But why does the United States commemorate July 4 specifically, since the Declaration of Independence was signed later? When did Americans start observing the patriotic holiday, and why do we set off fireworks?

July 4, also known as Independence Day, marks the anniversary of the Second Continental Congress adopting the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

July 4 became more widely observed by Americans following the War of 1812. Independence Day became the most important nonreligious holiday for many Americans by the 1870s, and Congress passed a law making Independence Day a federal holiday on June 28, 1870.

At the first July 4 celebration in Philadelphia in 1777, Americans fired a cannon 13 times in honor of the original 13 colonies. Thirteen fireworks were also fired in the city as part of the celebrations.

Revelers in Boston set off fireworks in 1777 as well, according to Smithsonian Magazine.

Kate Haulman, an associate professor of history at American University, told USA TODAY that fireworks and other festivities fit into a tradition of public celebrations in England, citing Guy Fawkes Day, which commemorates a foiled plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament.

George Ford leads the annual July 4th parade down Main Street in Hingham in 2022.
George Ford leads the annual July 4th parade down Main Street in Hingham in 2022.

Saturday, July 1

Braintree

The Braintree High School field will be the site of the town's Fourth of July celebration, also known as Braintree Day, which is celebrating its 50th-year anniversary with a parade, a concert and fireworks. There will be food trucks, vendors, farm animals from Animal Craze and more. The Stars & Stripes Parade will start at the Registry of Motor Vehicles parking lot on Plain Street at 11:45 a.m. and end at the Hollis School, 482 Washington St.

The festival and stage performances will start at 4 p.m. leading up to a fireworks display at 9:30 that will be viewable from the high school, Sunset Lake and surrounding neighborhoods. Musician Ryan Faraday, a South Shore native, will perform and the Boat House Row Band will perform yacht rock. Food will include Brazilian and Mediterranean fare, fried dough, cupcakes and more. For more information, visit Facebook.com.

Sunday, July 2

Cohasset

The Cohasset Community Fireworks will take place at Sandy Beach. Fireworks will begin at 9:15 p.m. People are encouraged to walk or take shuttle buses from the high school. There will be no parking in the Sandy Beach parking lot. Due to Piping Plovers, no dogs will be allowed on Sandy Beach.

Where to Park:

  • Town Hall parking lot.

  • Village parking lot.

  • High School parking lot.

Free transportation:

  • Pickup at Cohasset High and at the corner of South Main Street and Depot Court.

  • Free bus transportation to and from Sandy Beach will start at 6:30 p.m.

  • Buses will run before and after the fireworks.

  • Bus transportation will be suspended during the fireworks show.

There will be road closures on the following streets from 5 p.m. to 10:15 p.m.

  • Nichols Road will be closed to non-residents.

  • Atlantic Avenue northbound will be open, one-way, north of Sandy Beach and Atlantic Avenue one-way South of Sandy Beach.

  • Atlantic Avenue will be closed beginning at Jerusalem Road at Atlantic Avenue.

There will be no parking on the following streets from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m.

  • Entire length of Nichols Road.

  • Beach Street from Highland Avenue to Atlantic Avenue.

  • Atlantic Avenue from Lothrop Lane to Sandy Beach.

  • Atlantic Avenue from Jerusalem Road to Sandy Beach.

  • Atlantic Avenue in front of Sandy Beach.

  • Sandy Beach Parking lot.

For more information visit Facebook.

Monday, July 3

Randolph

The Night Before the Fourth Parade is scheduled for 7 p.m. The parade will start at the Higashi School and travel along North Main Street into Crawford Square. After the parade, fireworks will start at about 9 p.m. at the Randolph High School field. Food trucks will be next to the Turner Free Library as well as in the America’s Food Basket parking lot, with several smaller vendors along the parade route. For more information, visit randolph-ma.gov.

Weymouth

The town's 3rd of July party and fireworks display are scheduled for 5 to 10:30 p.m. at George Lane/Wessagusset Beach. The event will be hosted by DJ Paul Quintiliani and will include musical performances and food trucks. Live music will be provided by The New Band with special guest Todd Angilly.  Fireworks will start at 9:30 p.m. Buses will be available starting at 5 p.m. at the McCulloch Building/Whipple Center at 182 Green St., North Weymouth. There will be return trips after the fireworks display. For more information, visit tinyurl.com/weymouth4th.

Sharon

The celebration will start at 4 p.m. at Memorial Park Beach with a bicycle and doll carriage parade down Beach Street to the bandstand and a family-friendly performance by Matt Heaton. Activities will continue into the night with the town's 10th Food Truck Fair and train rides from the Roaming Railroad, which is a longtime Fourth of July tradition in Sharon.  At 8 p.m., there will be a pie-eating contest on the bandstand lawn sponsored by Shaw’s supermarket. Musical performances are scheduled for 4:15 to 9:30 p.m. featuring Mo Bounce. Fireworks will be fired from a barge on Lake Massapoag at 9:30 p.m.

No parking will be allowed at the beach July 3. Parking will be available at Sharon High School, Sharon Middle School, the Cottage Street School, Walter Griffin Playground and Deborah Sampson Park. Beach Street from Pond Street to Gunhouse Street will close at about 3:30 p.m. Handicapped-accessible parking will be allowed on the section of Beach Street at the main gate. For more information, visit sharonjuly4.org.

A scene from Hingham's annual July 4th parade in 2022.
A scene from Hingham's annual July 4th parade in 2022.

Tuesday, July 4

Duxbury

Duxbury's July 4th Parade will start at 2 p.m. with the theme "Duxbury Home Spirit." The parade will start at Halls Corner and travel down Washington Street to Duxbury Middle/High School. Prizes will be awarded for the best community floats. Parking at Halls Corner is limited due to the floats and bands setting up. Spectators can park at the schools, on Depot Street or on side streets. For more information, visit duxburycelebrates.com.

Quincy

The Merrymount neighborhood's 4th of July Parade will step off at 12:30 p.m. from Merrymount Elementary School and finish at Merrymount Beach by 1:30 p.m. The theme for the floats this year is "Summer Blockbusters." For more information, visit facebook.com.

Plymouth

A day of celebration will begin with the eighth annual 4th of July 5K at Stephens Field at 7:30 a.m. Registration is $30 for adults and $20 for children through July 2, then $35 for adults and $25 for children through July 4. Runners will leave Stephens Field and turn right on Route 3A, right on Nelson, right on Water and left on Union and finish back at Stephens Field.

Independence Day: 9 things you didn't know about the Fourth of July

The July 4th Parade will begin at 9 a.m. at Cordage Park and proceed onto Route 3A South/Court Street. The route follows Court Street, which becomes Main Street and then Main Street Extension, before turning left onto Water Street and finishing at Pilgrim Memorial State Park. The theme for this year's parade is "Celebrate America." The Rev. Paul Jehle will provide a blessing on the Plymouth waterfront and "America the Beautiful" and the national anthem will be sung. There will be food trucks at Alden Park. The Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra will perform at 7:30 p.m. at Pilgrim Memorial State Park. The fireworks will start at 9 p.m. at the park.

For parking and more information, visit july4plymouth.com.

Everett Manley, 7, of Cohasset, has a new flag for the annual July 4th parade in Hingham Square in 2021.
Everett Manley, 7, of Cohasset, has a new flag for the annual July 4th parade in Hingham Square in 2021.

Hingham

After a road race starting at 7 a.m., the annual Hingham Fourth of July Independence Day Parade will start at Hingham High School at 10 a.m. The parade will march down Middle Street to Main Street, ending at the Station Street parking lot. The theme for this year is “Together for the 4th.” The grand marshal for the parade this year is Warren Pelissier. William Donovan from the Plymouth River School won this year's parade button contest. The buttons are sold to pay for the annual July Fourth celebration.

On parade day, there will be no parking on the following streets between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m.:

  • North Street from Station Street to Main Street.

  • Station Street near the Hingham Sewer Department building.

  • Main Street from the Square to Cold Corner.

  • Spring Street.

  • School Street.

  • Pleasant Street from Main Street to School Street.

  • Middle Street.

For more information, visit hingham-ma.gov.

Did we miss any Fourth of July celebrations? Email Joel Barnes at jkbarnes@patriotledger.com.

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This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: July Fourth fireworks, parades, concerts and more on the South Shore