Harvard’s fireworks will be held Monday, July 2 (raindate Tuesday, July 10), on the grounds of Fruitlands Museum, 102 Prospect Hill Road. They start at dusk, but gates will open at 5 p.m. for picnicking, and bands will start performing at 5:30 p.m. Music will be by Wendy Darling and the Lost Boy, Alright, Ashley Jordan, and Bare Hill Band.
The parking fee is $30 per car. Walk-ins are $5 per person (children under age 7 free). The Fourth of July Committee asks residents to contribute to the ongoing success of this event by entering through the main gate.
The Harvard Road Race Association will sponsor two events on Wednesday, July 4, beginning with a 5-mile race at 8:15 a.m., followed by a 1-mile children’s Fun Run at 9:30 a.m. Both begin at Hildreth Elementary School, where participants may register from 6:30 to 8 a.m. Entry fees are $25 for the 5-mile race, $10 for the Fun Run, with free registration for town employees and runners over age 65. To learn more or to register ahead of time, go to www.harvardraces.org/?page_id=6.
The traditional bike decorating, parade, and field events will take place Wednesday, July 4 (raindate Saturday, July 7). Bike judging will be at 9 a.m. on the Common in front of the General Store. The parade, organized by the town’s Fourth of July Committee, will assemble at the corner of Depot and Ayer roads, lining up on Depot Road. It will begin its march to the center of town about 11 a.m. Children on their decorated bikes, vintage cars, fire trucks, Scouts, and various town groups will all be in the parade.
Fun and games begin on the lawn between Bromfield and the library directly after the flag-raising ceremony at the end of the parade. Events include an antique car show, pie-eating contest, sack races, egg toss, parent-child relays, and more. Lunch items, ice cream, and beverages will be available for purchase. More information at www.harvard4thofjuly.com.
From left: Kaitlyn Ostrowski, Ally Donahue, Vivian Liu, and Tiana Jiang compete in the three-legged race at last year’s Fourth of July field events. (Photo by Sam Jackson)