My dad loved the Fourth of July holiday. As early as I can remember, my brother and I would join him on a walk downtown to watch the parade on Court Street. That evening we would pile into our station wagon (there were various ones over the years) to make our way to the Mount Pleasant School on Whiting Street. From there we would watch the fireworks, which were launched from Stephens Field.
During my college years, the routine changed. When Dad found out that Bristol, Rhode Island, where I attended college, had the oldest July 4th parade in the country, he would make the hour-long drive there. He continued this tradition long after I graduated.
The fireworks tradition also changed. As the trees grew across the street from Mount Pleasant, Dad found a new spot without me. I, on the other hand, was on one of several party boats plying the harbor on booze-soaked excursions. I wasn’t one of the partiers, but a lowly deckhand.
I never realized how much Independence Day meant to me until I moved to California. Excited to experience the holiday in a different venue, I looked forward to discovering what the San Francisco Bay area had to offer. Sadly, the Fourth in California was a huge letdown. Parades were far and few between and the fireworks were only offered in major cities. One Fourth of July in California was all it took to assure my July vacation would be in Plymouth.
After the birth of my daughter in 1994, I made it a point to instill the joy the Fourth brought to Dad and me. The tradition was born when she was two years old. In a grand caravan, our neighbors – together with all our children – made the two-mile walk from our homes to downtown, followed later by the evening jaunt out to Plymouth Beach for the fireworks. This has been our routine for almost 30 years. And for all that time and the 16 years prior to that, Plymouth’s Fourth of July celebrations have been run by a dedicated group of volunteers.
The origins of the volunteer celebrations began in the winter of 1978, when Plymouth, facing a financial crisis, initiated a series of deep budget cuts. One of the first items cut from the town budget was the funding for the July Fourth parade and fireworks for July 1979. Covering these budget hearings at the time was Maggie Mills, a legendary reporter for the Old Colony Memorial newspaper.
Horrified that Plymouth would be without a parade and fireworks, Mills spurred then Selectman Ken Tavares, as well as board members Bruce Arons and Richard Freyermuth, into action. In a few months the trio raised the money for fireworks. The following year enough money was raised for both the parade and fireworks. In 1984 the group took the formal steps to incorporate the nonprofit all volunteer group as July 4th Plymouth. This year will mark Ken Tavares’ 45 years of unbroken history of volunteering to bring our town a parade and fireworks.
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Ken, his wife Maggi, and their son Matt (who has been involved since his youth). Matt’s official capacity began in 2015. The conversation was scheduled for an hour, ran longer, and ranged widely across many topics.
Organizing a parade and fireworks is a process that takes time, volunteers and lots of money. This year the tab is close to $130,000. Beyond hiring the fireworks company, the organizers need to cover the costs of police, fire, and DPW employees. (And before you complain that these are town employees and should donate their time, a gentle reminder they are working for you…on a holiday.)
Every year fundraising begins on July 5th. There have been years when Atlas Fireworks (which has produced the fireworks display for the town for over 45 years) has stepped up and covered the shortfall until funds are raised. For example, they helped the organization with advance funds when safety concerns required the extra expenses of moving to a barge in the harbor.
Some funds come from the Visitors Services Board, the PGDC (the parking people), and the town manager’s budget, but these make up only a small portion of the budget. Most of the donations now come from corporations and businesses. Last year only 17 individuals donated, a steep decline from 40 years ago, when most of the funds came from individual residents.
Matt told me the heartwarming story of a woman in town who would send a $10 check in once a month. It prompted Ken to comment: “It’s a celebration for the community, by the community and paid for by the community.”
As stressful as the fundraising is, the day of events is more so. With so much lined up for the Fourth, a rainy day is unlikely to postpone the event (unless it’s a major storm like the one that graced our doors in 2014). Parade activities go forward in the rain, as do the fireworks. It is nearly impossible to reschedule these events and as much as rain can dampen the parade, lousy weather is even worse for the fireworks. Matt recalled the year a fog bank sat precariously off Plymouth Beach for the entire day. Then, a few minutes before the fireworks began, the fog bank rolled into the harbor and obscured the evening’s spectacle.
Despite weather that can dampen the holiday, it’s an event, Ken reminded me, “where everyone is happy.” To him, (in a view shared by Matt and the rest of the committee), we should “never want the children in this community to go without a parade and fireworks.”
But sadly, this is the last year Ken and Matt will be helming the ship. The decision to step away from something that you hold so close to your heart is never an easy one. Both Ken and Matt say it’s time for them to focus more on family.
Of course, the ship won’t be rudderless. Steadfast long term volunteers Ann Marie Winchester and Jad Osmanski will continue on even as two other long-term volunteers, Mark Wells and Jeff Metcalfe, are also stepping down.
Ken will mark his last year walking the parade route in his trademark straw hat, which was gifted to him by one of his closest friends, the late Reverend Peter Gomes. Matt and the other committee members will spend the morning frantically lining up participants before the parade steps off sharply at 9 a.m.
The schedule of events begins at 7 a.m. when members of the Old Colony Club read the Declaration of Independence on Coles Hill. Prior to the parade, the 5K run starts at 7:30 am. In the evening, the Plymouth Philharmonic Concert on the waterfront begins at 7 p.m., with food trucks parked nearby to provide sustenance for the crowd. Fireworks begin at dusk on the waterfront.
As a last note, during a sometimes-tear-filled conversation, I mentioned that my daughter and I were in Venice for one Fourth of July. As we enjoyed the view over the main canal, she commented: “This is amazing, but we are missing the Fourth at home.” Matt then mentioned the year he spent the holiday on the White House lawn. It was an amazing experience, he said, but he was filled with guilt for not being home. Don’t worry, Ken said, “Plymouth will always be here, the Fourth will always be here.”
Donations are still being accepted and the goal still has not been fully met. You can always donate at: July 4th Plymouth.
As for me? Something different this year. My daughter has decided “we” need to be in the parade with my antique vehicle. I’ll see you along the parade route.
Architect Bill Fornaciari is a lifelong resident of Plymouth (except for a three-year adventure going west as a young man) and is the owner of BF Architects in Plymouth. His firm specializes in residential work and historic preservation. Have a question or idea for this column? Email Bill at billfornaciari@gmail.com.