Lucius Beebe Memorial Library, Wakefield, Mass.

Title

Fourth of July celebration, 1957

Description

The annual Fourth of July celebration, sponsored by the West Side Social Club, featured children's activities and contests, a three-division parade which began at Moulton Playground and ended at the Common, a band concert, and fireworks. The parade, the largest in the events history, stepped off at 2 p.m. on a route that traveled along Albion, Gould, Walnut and Chestnut Streets, North Avenue, Main and Church Streets. Several of the children's activities, including the fishing derby, home run hitting contest, pet "show", and a boys-only bicycle, tricycle and cart parade were held the night before, beginning at 6:30 p.m., followed by a band concert, variety show featuring three vaudeville acts and a "sample" fireworks display. The remaining children's events, including the children's races and doll carriage parade were held on the morning of July 4th, some of which were featured on WBZ-TV's live broadcast from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and on Bob Emery's Big Brother show. The parade floats which "appeared in the line of march" in the afternoon "assembled for a trip before the cameras on Church Street in front of the bandstand and several marching groups also were shown at 11 o'clock." Brian Goss, on the bicycle was the second-place winner in the bicycle parade, which won him a "crest lite." He and his mother, Ruth, are pictured with what may be the other winners who were reported to have been interviewed by Bob Emery on his show.

Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 2019

Photo courtesy of Brian Goss

Contributor

Institution: Lucius Beebe Memorial Library

Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department (Wakefield, Mass.)

D'Onofrio, Jayne M.

Coverage

Massachusetts--Middlesex (county)--Wakefield

Date

07-04-1957

Format

image/jpeg

Language

eng

Publisher

Wakefield, Mass. : Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department

Type

still image

Photographs

Original Format

1 picture :black & white

Extent

26 x 17 cm.