Nantucket Independence Day Highlights

Independence Day Weekend Highlights

Friday, July 4, 2008

The Unitarian Church presents a 20 minute reading of the Declaration of Independence beginning at 9 am, followed by a sing along.

It all gets going at 10 am on Main Street with watermelon & pie eating contests, a dunk tank, face painting, and a water fight at noon.

Later in the day, from 5 - 6:30 pm at Children’s Beach, are games for children - three legged and other races, and a giant tug of war.

The fireworks will be shot from a barge anchored off Jetties Beach. The decision to shoot or postpone is made at 6 pm based on the expected weather conditions. Turn to Geno TV Channel 17, or Plum TV Channel 22 for the latest, or call Nantucket Visitor Services at 508-228-0925. If postponed, the fireworks will be held the next evening Saturday, July 5.

The NRTA to and from Jetties Beach will operate on its normal schedule on July 4th, leaving town from Broad Street (in front of the Whaling Museum) every 30 minutes on the hour and half hour from 10 AM to 6 PM. Beginning at 6 PM. shuttles will leave town approximately every 10 to 15 minutes. After the event, buses will depart Bathing Beach Road and Hulbert Avenue and return to Broad Street. The fare is $1.00 each way.

---

Saturday, July 5

Dick Voight’s Big Apple Jazz Band

This concert Features Nantucket summer resident Dick Voigt and his Big Apple Jazz Band for an evening of Dixieland jazz. The Big Apple Jazz Band brings together accomplished Dixieland jazz artists from New York, playing traditional New Orleans and Chicago-style jazz combined with the looser, freewheeling rhythms of the ’swing’ bands of the ‘30, ’40s and ’50s. The band features Dick Voigt on piano, Tom Artin on trombone, Charlie Caranicas on cornet and trumpet, Mark Lopeman on clarinet and saxophone, David Hofstra on bass, Dave Markell on drums, and special guest Jimmy Mazzy on banjo. Watch a video.

The concert is a benefit for the Frank & Bette Spriggs scholarship fund, providing financial aid to graduating Nantucket seniors who have been accepted by a trade school or who need special assistance directly related to entering a trade.

Tickets are $30 at Nantucket Pharmacy, Nantucket Bookworks, Island Pharmacy, Valero’s Garden Center, Nantucket Trading Post, Nantucket Cottage Hospital, and at the door the evening of the concert. Donations toward the scholarship are encouraged. Unitarian Church, 11 Orange Street at 8 pm.

---

Sunday, July 6

There are still tickets available for Judy Collins in Concert, 8:00 pm in the Nantucket High School Auditorium, a benefit for the Nantucket AIDS Network