Changes for Stonington Borough's annual Fourth of July celebration
Stonington — The Stonington Historical Society has canceled this year’s edition of the annual Fourth of July parade in the borough due to the COVID-19 pandemic but will hold a virtual reading of the Declaration of Independence.
Typically, a large group of residents and families decorate bikes, wagons and even dogs and march informally from Wadawanuck Square to Cannon Square and back while onlookers pack the sidewalks along Water Street. Back at Wadawanuck Square, the Declaration of Independence is read by a group of guest speakers before the crowd wishes a “pox on King George.”
With the pandemic, there are now sandwich board signs posted in the borough urging both residents and visitors to wear masks and socially distance.
Joshua Adams, director of development & communications for the historical society, said the historical society had considered holding a traditional parade this year but after talking to First Selectwoman Danielle Chesebrough and borough Warden Jeff Callahan, he said it did not seem like it was reasonable to try and safely put that many people into the street.
Adams said that four people who have been working on the front lines of the pandemic, including a grocery store worker and first responder, will read the Declaration of Independence.
“Reading the Declaration this year will be a collection of friends and neighbors who, throughout the ongoing health crisis, put themselves at risk to serve others. Their jobs require constant interaction with the public and, through deeds great and small, improve the quality of our day-to-day lives,” the society said in its announcement of the revised event.
The reading of the Declaration of Independence will be livestreamed on the historical society’s Facebook page, bit.ly/stonhistfb, at 11 a.m.
“Part of the Stonington Historical Society’s mission is to celebrate our history and we are happy to keep up this local tradition virtually this year,” said Aimee Newell, the society’s executive director. “We hope our community will join us for the reading of our country’s Declaration of Independence, which reminds us of how learning about the past can help us with present-day challenges.”
Callahan noted the importance of using history as a guidepost.
“Reading the Declaration of Independence is not only a local Fourth of July tradition, it’s a way to remind ourselves of the principles that bind us together as Americans,” he said.
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