https://issuu.com/morrismedianetwork/docs/where_magazine_boston_july_2019 (pages 8 and 9)
Boston’s annual Independence Day celebration may be set to music by the Boston Pops, but Boston Harborfest offers revolutionary experiences all around the Hub from July 1-7. Matt Robinson
As the howitzers boom and fireworks soar overhead, hundreds of thousands of people come together to celebrate our nation’s birthday with the musical accompaniment of the world-famous Boston Pops.
While this part of Boston’s Independence Day celebration may be best known, it is only part of Boston Harborfest (www.bostonharborfest.com) – the city’s celebration of the push for independence that began just miles away in the towns of Lexington and Concord.
After taking in the opening ceremonies (and maybe a bit of shopping) July 1 at Faneuil Hall (https://faneuilhallmarketplace.com), stroll the Freedom Trail (www.thefreedomtrail.org) through the restaurant-packed North End to the home of Paul Revere for a fife and drum corps performance at 1PM. Next, head over to the place where Revere’s poetically-licensed “midnight ride” began – Boston’s Old North Church – where admission will include a pioneering photography exhibit, a chance to make your own “one if by land” lanterns, and an historically-accurate (and participatory!) chocolate tasting. There will also be behind-the-scenes tours of spots that are usually reserved for locals (https://oldnorth.com).
On July 1 and 3, area artists will turn the culture and commerce nexus Downtown Crossing (a.k.a., “DTX”) into a curated arts show (https://artistscrossing.boston). From the Mediterranean temptations at BonaPita and saucy Shedd’s BBQ to the freshly-caught flavors at Legal Test Kitchen and the patriotic Democracy Brewing (which hosts Mel Stiller’s legendary sing-along piano bar Friday night), DTX is also a great place to enjoy local flavors. If you love chowder (pronounced “chowdah”), July 2 from 12-2 is Boston’s annual Chowderfest, where guests can sample (and vote on) versions from some of the area’s best restaurants, all while enjoying live entertainment, games, and interactive activities.
As the title implies, many of Harborfest’s most popular events take place in and along the nation’s first major harbor. In addition to ongoing participatory reenactments of the Boston Tea Party (www.bostonteapartyship.com) and gas-guzzling rocket rides in Codzilla (www.bostonharborcruises.com/codzilla/), the New England Aquarium will offer their popular whale watches (www.neaq.org/exhibits/whale-watch) and Boston Harbor Cruises (www.bostonharborcruises.com) will bring sailors right alongside “Old Ironsides” (https://ussconstitutionmuseum.org), which makes its annual turning sail each year during HarborFest. For those who want to experience fun on the land and the sea, there is nothing like a ride/cruise on Boston’s revolutionary Duck Boats (www.bostonducktours.com), which pick up at the Aquarium and Museum of Science (www.mos.org), both popular destinations for locals and visitors alike.
On the 4th itself, there will be a flag raising ceremony at City Hall Plaza (http://cityhallplazaboston.com) and a parade to the Granary Burial Ground, where such legends as Sam Adams and John Hancock (as well as the woman known as Mother Goose) are buried. If you’d rather get a sense of what these people were like when alive, retrace the steps of famous Bostonians like Adams and Ben Franklin on special Independence-themed tours with Boston By Foot (www.bostonbyfoot.org).
While thousands visit to experience the wonder that is the Boston Pops (bostonpopsjuly4th.org), savvy locals know that the rehearsal the night before is just as good (albeit without the fireworks) with far smaller crowds. No matter when you come the week of July 4, however, there is sure to be plenty to see, hear, taste, and experience in the birthplace of America’s independence.
