Gloucester Independence Day Celebrations 2025

Gloucester’s Fourth of July celebrations kick off with the annual Fishtown Horribles Parade, and a fireworks display over Gloucester Harbor. The Fishtown Horribles Parade will start at 6 p.m. The earliest Horrible parades over a hundred years ago began at 5 a.m. on July 4th, with farmers bringing their animals and children dressed in “horrible” costumes. The parade since the 1940s, however, has been the evening before July 4th and starts and ends at Gloucester High School. The parade features dozens of floats and bands and 100 “Horribles”: costumes and skits usually taking the theme of a cultural or political happening. For more information: facebook.com/Gloucesterfishtownhorribleparade