NEWS RELEASE
June 15, 2017 - For Immediate Release
Contact: Michael J. Arnum
508.347.0205
508.380.7303 (cell)
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Independence Weekend Festivities at Old Sturbridge Village
Saturday-Tuesday, July 1-4, 2017
4-Day Extravaganza to include Patriotic Family Fun,
Firing of a Replica Cannon, and a New Citizen Ceremony
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STURBRIDGE, Massachusetts ---- An expanded, 4-day celebration of Independence Day will take place at Old Sturbridge Village, to include the firing of a reproduction cannon and a host of other patriotic activities, from July 1-4. Visitors will have the chance to take part in a citizens' parade, a daily flag-raising ceremony, play 19th-century style "base ball," march with the militia, and sign their "John Hancocks" on a giant copy of the Declaration of Independence
. Musicians will play fife and drum music throughout the weekend. Summer barbecue foods will be available for purchase along with beer and wine
; visitors may enjoy a picnic on the Common. Children and families will especially enjoy making tri-corner hats and a little physical activity and friendly competition with "French and English", a 19th-century version of "Tug-o-War."
Naturalization Ceremony on July 4th
At 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 4th, the 241st Anniversary of American Independence, a naturalization ceremony takes place on the Village Common.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will present scores of candidates to the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, and they will
pledge their Oath of Allegiance to the United States for the very first time. Old Sturbridge Village Singers will perform patriotic songs during the ceremony.
NEW This Year: "Declaring Independence"
Two times each day during the 4-day event, six costumed re-enactors will render the words of the Declaration line by line, assisted by a narrator who sets these words in their rich historical context. Some lines will be familiar to all; others - especially the many grievances that justified altering an ancient government - will receive background and commentary. As the re-enactors dramatize these 18th century words and ideas, the narrator will draw out their meaning and challenge the audience to consider their relevance and power for today.
"Declaring Independence" is part of a multi-year joint initiative of Freedom's Way National Heritage Area and the American Antiquarian Society to engage citizens in the ideas and trans-formative potential of the Declaration of Independence. This initiative includes researching the ways in which independence was conceived and debated within colonial communities in the years leading up to 1776; tracing how the Declaration's role evolved in American communities; and considering the challenges and potential of this living document for Americans today.
For information about Independence Day Weekend at Old Sturbridge Village, visit
www.osv.org, or call 800-SEE-1830
. Independence Day Weekend at Old Sturbridge Village is generously sponsored by Savers Bank of Southbridge.
A Replica Cannon
For the third year, this year's festivities include the firing of a reproduction 18th-century cannon. The cannon is a working model of a so-called
Heavy 3-Pounder
, meant to fire 3-pound balls. The cast-iron cannon barrel was made in the 1970s by the LaPans Foundry in Hudson Falls, New York, and purchased by Old Sturbridge Village a few years ago.
The cannon carriage was constructed by museum staff and volunteers, with guidance from external consultants. Its styling and construction echoes that of the British cannon carriages commonly in use during the mid- to late-18th century. Using period images of these carriages and their construction, carpenter Jonathan Duvall, a volunteer at the Village, shaped and assembled the wood components of the carriage. Starting in November of 2014, the Village's blacksmiths began the laborious task of researching, planning, and finally forging all the correct iron hardware for the carriage based on the same images. Blacksmith Jymm Hoffman of Hoffman's Forge in Ambridge, Pennsylvania was called in to help the blacksmiths, as he is a specialist in iron hardware for cannon carriages of the period. Village blacksmiths worked closely with Duvall to fit all the necessary pieces of hardware to the wood.
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July 4th Historical Tidbits
- Independence Day was one of America's three biggest holidays in the early 1800s. The other two big holidays: Thanksgiving and George Washington's birthday.
- When the hated Stamp Act was repealed in 1766, Boston's celebration included lanterns, bells, flags, and music. John Hancock illuminated his house and discharged fireworks from a stage in front of it.
- Back in the day, cannons would be loaded with glass, rocks, nails, and virtually anything else that could fit in the cannon's muzzle and fly out.
- During the American Revolution, horses or oxen with hired civilian drivers formed the cannon transport. On the battlefield the cannoneers managed "drag ropes" to maneuver the guns into position.
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About Old Sturbridge Village
Old Sturbridge Village, the largest living history museum in the Northeast, depicts a rural New England town of the 1830s. Each year, more than 250,000 visitors interact with costumed historians, experience up-close demonstrations of early American trades, and meet heritage breed farm animals. Situated on 200 scenic acres, the Village is a collection of more than 40 historic buildings - including homes, meetinghouses, trade shops, working farms and three water-powered mills - restaurants, shops and the Old Sturbridge Inn and Reeder Family Lodges.
Located just off the Massachusetts Turnpike and Routes I-84 and 20 in Sturbridge, Mass., Old Sturbridge Village is open year-round, but days and hours vary seasonally. Daily admission is: $28 for adults, $26 for seniors, $14 for college students with ID, $14 for children ages 4-17, and children 3 and under are admitted free. Each admission includes free parking and a free second-day visit within 10 days. For details, visit www.osv.org.
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