Celebrating America at 250
July calendar filled with patriotic events
As the summer heats up, so does the event schedule. Fast approaching the Fourth of July – which this year marks 250 years of America's Declaration of Independence – there's pomp and circumstance by the boatload, beginning with the return of the U.S. Brig Niagara.
July 2 at noon, Erie's flagship will return to its home port after more than a year away for repairs. The Parade of Sail will begin at the channel of Presque Isle near the North Pier Light then travel toward Liberty Park, concluding at the Erie Maritime Museum. Once docked, the flagship will remain open for deck tours all weekend.
The festivities continue on the bayfront on Friday, July 3, with Erie 250: Light and Liberty on the Lake, the City of Erie's signature Independence Day event, hosted on the water and featuring a fireworks display from Dobbins Landing at 10 p.m. after a concert by the Marshall Tucker Band and Buckcherry at the Rebich Investments Amphitheater. While the fireworks are free to watch, the concert is a ticketed event.
Also on July 3, the Erie Commodores, Erie's semi-pro soccer team, will close out its season with a special America 250-themed match at Mercyhurst University's Saxon Stadium.
On Saturday, July 4, at 2:30 p.m., the Erie Philharmonic will perform a free Patriotic Pops concert in Bayview Park. It will include Sousa marches, an Armed Forces Salute, cinematic John Williams hits, and Broadway favorites.
Now through Sunday, July 5, the Flying Legends of Victory Warbird Tour will take place at the Erie International Airport. See B-17 and B-25 bombers, two of the rarest historical military planes and get a tour.
Beginning Monday, July 6, at 6 p.m. the Jefferson Educational Society will kick off its USA 250 summer programming with a weeklong residency by Dr. Robert Garland titled "Democracy: From Beginning to Now." Later in the month, on Thursday, July 16, at 4 p.m., renowned food and drink writer Brian Freedman will present "Spirits that Moved America: Lessons through Liquor," a tasting of spirits that tracks the nation's own spirited journey.
Beginning on Monday, July 27 through Thursday, July 30, the Jefferson Educational Society will host Moments That Shaped America: A Nation and Independence at 250. Events include "9/11 25 Years Later: WH Chief of Staff Andy Card's Eyewitness to History" with Andy Card, White House Chief of Staff from 2001 to 2006; "From FDR to Trump: Life in the Modern White House" with bestselling author Gary Walters and Stuart McLauren, author and President of the White House Historical Association; "We the Women: The Hidden Heroes Who Shaped America" with Kate Andersen Brower, New York Times bestselling author; and "Against All Odds: Front Line Stories from World War II" with Alex Kershaw, New York Times bestselling author, and David Yoho, WWII veteran.
Running throughout the entire month, the Tom Ridge Environmental Center will host its Presque Isle 250 exhibit, which displays the role of Presque Isle State Park throughout America's past 250 years. The free exhibit on the second floor includes journals, newspaper articles, and photos that tell the story of Presque Isle.
Events throughout Erie County include the America 250 Celebration at the Mellon Heritage Veteran's Outreach and Wellness Center in North East on July 2 and 3; 18th Century Life and Traditions, a re-enactment of life in 1776 at the Gifford-Blanchfield House in Harborcreek on Saturday, July 11, at 10 a.m.; and re-enactments from America's history in the 18th and 19th centuries at the Fort LeBoeuf Historical Society in Waterford on Saturday, July 18, as part of Waterford's Heritage Day festival.
Chloe Forbes is a local journalist. Reach her at chloeforbes14@gmail.com
