A socially-distanced Fourth of July parade will take place in Aquinnah on Independence Day.
Fourth of July
Noah Asimow
Historically cold and wet weather dampened an otherwise crowded Fourth of July weekend on the Vineyard, with police reporting busy streets, traffic jams, a few fireworks complaints and no major incidents.
Fourth of July

1996

Oak Bluffs is the place to be for the Fourth of July weekend.

That’s always been the case, according to many residents, and now they have one more reason to think so.

This weekend, the community will conduct its First Annual Juneteenth Day of Independence, a Multicultural Celebration. Events include a beach concert Friday and a dance Saturday. Both nights will feature live music, plenty of food and several vats of non-alcoholic ginger beer.

And townspeople are predicting great success.

The Fourth of July weekend in Oak Bluffs was a big mess last year, everyone said.

There was too much traffic. An ambulance couldn’t get through a street crowded with people. There were clashes between cultures and, when people talked about the weekend later, blatant racism.

Bob Holland of Oak Bluffs stayed home, but he heard all about it. And he sees no reason why all these people shouldn’t enjoy Oak Bluffs on its biggest holiday weekend.

So this year, he will be there to help with other members of the new Martha’s Vineyard Million Man Association.

1976

Anne Morrow Lindbergh wrote, “It doesn’t matter that it can’t last, that we don’t find it more often. To know that there has been such perfection - it is worth living for. It exists. It has been - it is. One can contemplate it and feel a complete peace.”
 
We reach into the past to uncover characters, words or deeds that may reaffirm our belief in the principles of our nation or the lifestyle of our Island. We try to create an idyllic past - the ‘perfection’ of which Mrs. Lindbergh wrote - so that we may strive toward an idyllic future.
 

1920

To the martial music of her own brass band, Edgartown staged a parade in celebration of the Fourth and in honor of her veterans of the World war, which must have convinced these forty-five youths and men that they still stand ace-high in the estimation of their fellow townsmen. For Edgartown does not forget and she proved that memorable fact in a memorable fashion.
 

1846

The Fourth of July, the anniversary of the Nation’s independence, passed off in this town, without any public demonstration of joy, and the stillness of the Sabbath reigned throughout the day; but from many hearts devout aspirations of gratitude ascended...

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