Each Fourth of July, Salem celebrates the holiday in a big way. Throughout the day, the town keeps residents and visitors busy with events such as a reading of the Declaration of Independence in the morning, which is still scheduled for July 4 at 9 a.m. at the Hawthorne Hotel; a pop concert performed by the Hillyer Festival Orchestra, special activities for children, and the main event: fireworks over Salem Harbor, which have all been rescheduled for July 6 (fireworks start at 9 p.m.) Bursting over the harbor, the fireworks are set off from Derby Wharf, coloring the sky in celebration. Fireworks cruises run throughout the night, allowing onlookers to take in the display from different points of view.
The annual Marblehead fireworks spectacular begin at 9 p.m. on July 5 (due to the inclement weather forecast), in the midst of the yearly Marblehead Festival of Arts. As the fireworks are launched from a barge at the mouth of Marblehead Harbor, the best public spots to view the show are Riverhead Beach, Fort Sewall, Crocker Park, Fort Beach, and Chandler Hovey Park. The town’s fireworks are put on entirely by volunteer members of the nonprofit organization, Friends of the Marblehead Fireworks, and are funded completely by donation. At 8:45 p.m., the night’s festivities are kicked off with the Harbor Illumination, when red flares are lit throughout the harbor.
Salisbury Beach kicks of their Fourth of July weekend Thursday night, with a beachside concert, and the celebrations continue into Saturday (check http://beachfests.org for updates). From beach parties and pet parades, this year’s Independence Day bash is sure to be a hit. The highlight of the weekend-long commemoration is always the fireworks extravaganza, which has been rescheduled for July 5 at 10:15 p.m. With the promise of being the town’s greatest-ever fireworks display, this year’s show is not to be missed.
Salem: July 6 at 9 p.m., Derby Wharf
Salisbury: July 5 at 10:15 p.m., Barge off Salisbury Beach
Marblehead: July 5 at 9 p.m., Barge in Marblehead Harbor
For a complete list of regional fireworks displays and rain dates, visit http://www.whdh.com/story/25925865/july-4th-massachusetts-fireworks-displays