The annual celebration of gratitude is almost here (yay!), which means you can almost smell the heavenly aroma of turkey roasting in the oven. Just the thought of it brings to mind the original Thanksgiving feast nearly four centuries ago, when Pilgrims and Native Americans shared a momentous meal at Plymouth Plantation. While the countdown to Thursday has begun, you don’t have to wait until then to get into the Thanksgiving spirit. If you’re on a Boston vacation this coming weekend or live in the area, you can travel back in time to experience the roots of the holiday in Plymouth with historic reenactments, a lively parade, and lots more fun at America’s Hometown Thanksgiving Celebration.
The festivities kick off Saturday morning with a grand parade along Plymouth’s historic waterfront. However, you won’t find cartoon character balloons at Plymouth’s holiday procession–this one brings history to life with a chronological array of floats, musicians, military marching units and fly-overs, and reenactments of American history, starting with the Pilgrims, natch, all the way through the 21st century. A recreation of the Mayflower, fife and drum performances, covered wagon floats, and vintage cars are but some of the special treats on the line-up. However, the parade won’t be the only incarnation of a feast for the senses. On both Saturday and Sunday, displays of colonial antiques and demonstrations of old-time crafts such as candle-, soap-, and jelly-making will be set up in the Crafter’s Pavilion surrounding the parade grounds, further reinforcing the historical theme.
All that pomp should help you work up a hearty appetite, which will come in handy at the festival’s (count ‘em) two big food events on Saturday. First, there’s the Quahog Republic Northeast Food Festival, in which over 20 popular local eateries will compete for prizes, while festival attendees can judge the classic New England entries, from clam chowder to old-fashioned donuts to locally brewed beers, for themselves. Second, the Harvest Farmer’s Market, held in a cozy tent along the waterfront, features local, seasonal products from a number of Plymouth area farmers. Sample the goods or pick up fresh ingredients for your own Thanksgiving meal, from cranberries and winter squash to farm-fresh honey and hearth-baked breads.
But don’t fill up too much–save some energy to explore the activities all along the waterfront on both Saturday and Sunday. At the Historic Village, the past comes dazzlingly to life at a number of reenactments of the past several centuries. Check out the true definition of restoration hardware at the Colonial Village Blacksmith encampment and hear a bunch of rogues spin yarns of wild adventures and sing sea shanties at the Free Men of the Sea camp–the pirates just might also provide a weapons demo or two for some extra spark! Wars from centuries past are reenacted by His Majesty’s Tenth Regiment of Foot, a Redcoat battalion that fought on Lexington Green during the Revolution, and by the Civil War-era New England Brigade and the 22nd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. Speaking of which, actors portraying Ulysses S. Grant and his wife Julia will be on hand to provide detailed, first-person accounts of 19th-century events. In addition, a circus performance, while not historic, will also be held on the waterfront to delight visitors of all ages with acrobatics, fire juggling, comedy, and more.
Patriotic musical performances will also keep the mood festive all weekend long at Plymouth’s Memorial Hall. On Friday night, a free tribute concert for those who have served in all branches of the military will be held, entertaining attendees with not only music, but also a color guard display, a dramatic performance, and more. On Saturday, a half dozen drum and bugle corps from New England and beyond will fill the air with classic American tunes; there is an admission fee for this event.
Have your Boston vacation all set? Perfect! Plymouth is only a 40-minute drive from Boston hotels, making the America’s Hometown Thanksgiving Celebration a fantastic mood-setting day-trip this weekend. Pilgrim hat not included.
Image credits from Flickr Creative Commons: Painting of First Thanksgiving by lom; Pilgrims parade float, Revolutionary War soldier reenactors, and drum and fife corps by uptonia.
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