Stoughton's 4th of July Festivities: Fireworks, Kids Day, Parade (And More...)

KIDS DAY IS RESTORED: Last year, the Stoughton Community Events Committee lamented the loss of the traditional Kid’s Day, which was always the Saturday prior to July 4.  They were forced to cancel it due to lack of volunteers. 

But, not this year - it's back!

SCEC Chairman Bob Desmond told About Town that Michelle Jackson of the Old Colony YMCA in Stoughton was really the key to its restoration. “Michelle reached out to us and gave us her contacts. She and the Y are providing the necessary volunteers, and also connected us to entertainment, like magician Joe Howard,” Desmond said.  

Working with the Old Colony YMCA in Stoughton, SCEC now has the necessary volunteers, and Kids Day will be back on Saturday, June 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Stoughton High School. 

This year will include a bike-decorating contest (10 a.m. registration), magic show with Joe Howard (11:30 a.m.), DJ Jaz, Dunk Tank (with Fire Chief Mark Dolloff at 12:30 p.m.), Police K9 Show (1-1:30 p.m.), Petting Zoo, Face Painting, Pony Rides, Inflatable Obstacle Course and Bounce House, Food from Knights of Columbus, Ice Cream from Daddy’s Dairy, and Hot Air Balloon Rides. 

Chairman of the event is Bob Desmond. Bob wanted to thank the event’s sponsors and participants, including Old Colony YMCA, Randolph Savings Bank (sorry, no samples), Stoughton Police and Fire Departments, Walgreen’s, Tattoos by Pushing Ink, Stoughton Public Schools, Stoughton DPW, Kind Snack Bars, Stoughton Women’s Auxiliary, Save the State Theatre, and Stoughton Media Access Corp. (SMAC will have a studio setup and kids will be able to go on TV!)  

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4TH of JULY FUN: The Stoughton Community Events Committee will also be presenting some great events for the 4th of July.  

CARNIVAL, CONCERT, FIREWORKS (July 3)

On Wednesday, July 3, come enjoy a carnival, concert and fireworks show in Stoughton.

The 5th Annual Carnival will be held at the O’Donnell Middle School parking lot, from 5-9:30 p.m. There will be rides galore, (and my favorite - fried dough with lots of cinnamon and sugar.) 

The traditional Ronnie Lewis & the Expedition concert will be held at the Stoughton High School football field, from 7-9:30 p.m. Ronnie sings all your favorite tunes from the 50’s through today.  

He gets everyone dancing and singing along. And, best of all, he’s a Stoughton guy (real name: Ron DiGangi.) He’s another great musical talent developed in the Stoughton School System and Stoughton High.  

A concession stand, run by and for the local veterans, will be open from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.

And, of course, the highlight of the evening is the Stoughton fireworks, which normally runs about a half hour, and is one of the best on the South Shore.  They start at 9:30 p.m. sharp, launched from the West Elementary School fields, and are sponsored by IKEA.  

The July 3rd activities are Co-Chaired by Desmond and Joe Mokrisky.  

Pennsylvania-based Pyrotecnico, the company that did the fireworks last year (where a number of undetonated pieces were left on the ground, here and elsewhere at other shows they did across the state) lost their license. 

Mokrisky told me that he was unable to hire a new company himself, as he (and other past chairmen) had done. Instead Maureen Doherty, the town’s Procurement Officer, put the fireworks out to bid, with the bid going to RS Fireworks in Hudson, NH.  

For your comfort, there are portable rest facilities and refreshments available for the duration of all Wednesday events.

JULY 4TH PARADE

On Thursday, July 4th, it’s time for Stoughton’s Independence Day Parade. It starts at 2 p.m. on Park Street (at Prospect), goes through downtown Stoughton, and ends at the DPW on Central Street.  

The Parade features exciting floats, fun musical acts, politicians (one bearing blue balloons), fire and police vehicles, and so much more.  It’s a wonderful family event, and is being Chaired by Mokrisky. 

I will be hosting the parade again this year.  Come join me before the parade (in downtown Stoughton in front of the former Pacheco Hardware building).  I’ll be playing trivia and giving out prizes, so come on down.  I’ll have questions for all ages.  

It’s also not too late to enter a float in the parade. Call Bob Desmond at 781-344-8835 for information. There are no public restroom facilities at the parade site. Go before you go. I learned my lesson well last year!

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MOVING SALE: Get a piece of Stoughton history.  Snyder’s Stoughton is having a Giant Yard Sale on Saturday, June 29, from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Maybe later - drive by). 

There will be small furnishings, CDs, Books, Boys and Girls Clothes, T-Shirts, DVD’s, Video Tapes, and tons more. Videotapes of Snyder’s Stoughton TV Shows will be available for FREE to those that appeared in the segments. Come see if you’re in one!  NO EARLY BIRDS.  

In the event of rain, it will be held in the garage.  It’s at 24 Hollytree Road, off of Tanglewood Drive and/or Raymond Road, across the street from the Old Colony YMCA.  

A portion of the proceeds (last year it was 100%) will be donated to the Food Pantry Foundation of Stoughton.  It’s an About Town recommendation. (Is that a conflict of interest?)