Norwich — The Norwich Historical Society and the Norwich First Friday committee are teaming up to celebrate the start of the July 4 weekend with three events Friday to honor Samuel Huntington, starting with a wreath-laying ceremony at his grave and ending with a downtown Norwich pub crawl.

Huntington was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, the nation's first president under the Articles of Confederation, and Connecticut governor during ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

The wreath-laying ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. at Huntington's tomb in the historic Norwichtown Colonial Burial Ground, located between Old Cemetery Lane and East Town Street.

The ceremony will include performances from the Nutmeg Fife and Drum Corp. and Tom Callinan, former Connecticut state troubadour. Members of the Connecticut Foot Guard will be present. Historian and re-enactor Damien Cregeau will give a brief speech about Huntington's life.

Mayor Deberey Hinchey, City Manager John Salomone, State Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, and U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Second District, will participate. Local and state officials and the Sons of the American Revolution will lay the wreath, donated by McKenna’s Flower Shop in Norwich.

Parking for the general public will be around the Norwichtown Green. Handicapped parking only will be available at United Community and Family Services, 34 E. Town St. For information, go to walknorwich.org or the Norwich Historical Society’s Facebook page.

During the evening Friday, downtown Norwich galleries, theaters, businesses, and civic organizations will collaborate with a variety of local artists — painters, sculptors, actors, musicians, culinary experts, authors, photographers — for First Friday activities.

The Historic Pub Crawl featuring a Huntington theme will start at 6 p.m. at La Stellas Pizzeria, 1 Market St., and will continue to Harp & Dragon Irish Pub, Billy Wilson's Ageing Still and These Guys Brewing.

Cregeau, who will provide trivia on Huntington and the Declaration of Independence at each stop, will lead the pub crawl. The person with the most correct answers at trivia will win a liquor basket donated by These Guys and Billy Wilson's.

The pub crawl only is for patrons age 21 and over. Colonial garb is encouraged. These Guys will be creating a specialty sandwich for the July 4 weekend in honor of Huntington. Historic Pub Crawl T-shirts can be pre-ordered at (860) 887-6964.

Huntington was born in Scotland in 1731 and moved to Norwich to practice law. He married Martha Devotion in 1761. The Huntingtons' Norwich home is the current United Community and Family Services building on East Town Street.

Huntington served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation. In 1779, he was appointed the first president under the Articles of Confederation and later served as a state Chief Justice and governor of Connecticut. He died in office in 1796.

For information, go to firstfridaynorwich.com or First Friday’s Facebook page.

c.bessette@theday.com