It’s a shock to hear that a successful town event as iconic and volunteer-driven as Fourth of July fireworks at Fruitlands should apparently stumble over issues of finance. But as our reporting found, an event that was once town-sized may have also simply grown too large.
Whether Fourth of July fireworks are a tradition worth reclaiming will be debated in coming weeks. But there’s still time to save the events that have been part of Harvard’s Independence Day celebrations for years: the parade through town center, the antique (and not so antique) cars, the floats, the flag-raising at the library, the games, and Lions Club food concession.
A dwindling number of longtime residents remember the days when the Fourth of July Committee included as many as 12 members, often couples, each of whom served two years and then recruited someone to replace them (see this week’s letter from Dave Durrant). Some years ago, however, it was decided that a more permanent three-member committee was a better model. That’s an arrangement that depends on recruiting a fresh cadre of volunteers each year to staff the many roles that need to be filled to organize and pull off such a large event.
We’ve reached that time of year when preparations for Harvard’s 2023 Fourth of July need to get going. There’s always panic that the tradition can’t survive. But somehow, Harvard residents always seem to rise to the occasion. It’s time to do so again.
The Press urges readers who can donate a couple of hours to the cause to email the committee’s chair, Anne Hentz, at anne@annehentz.com for information on how to help. And even if you can’t volunteer to help, think about stopping by the committee’s table at the General Store this Saturday, April 15, between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. to let members know how much you appreciate their work.
