Salem Celebrates the Fourth

OK, I'm taking the easy way out this morning and posting the poster for Salem Celebrates the Fourth instead of writing a long blog about how fantastic this celebration is, and how the orchestra is wonderful, the kids will love the games and music, and fireworks over the Tall Ship Friendship are just stunning.

For more information, visit Salem.com. And join us. Really. This is one of Salem's best traditions. Don't miss it.

How Conductor Dirk Hillyer Sees Salem

July Fourth in Salem is a fantastic celebration of all things patriotic. 2010 marks the eleventh year that Salem's celebration of the Fourth will be led by Conductor Dirk Hillyer and the Hillyer Festival Orchestra on Derby Wharf at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site.

This year the musical celebration will celebrate "Rising Stars" and feature:

• Puccini favorites sung by Manhattan School of Music graduate student Anna Lawrence;
• Mozart's Marriage of Figaro performed by Salem State College students Kathryn O'Connell and Robyn Higgins;
• A beautiful tenor aria from I Pagliacci sung by Dan Kamalic;
• A Salem March written by local Ian Bunker for the Fourth;
• Broadway overtures;
• Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, and
• Igor Stravinsky's very challenging Firebird (celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the ballet).

And, of course, the orchestra will perform patriotic favorites while the fireworks explode above the tall ship Friendship, Derby Wharf, and Salem Harbor.

The man behind the program, and in front of the orchestra, is the very talented Dirk Hillyer. You may have seen him performing in the band for Salem Theatre Company's recent production o Hair, or at one of the HFO's many other regional events.

In anticipation of another wonderful 4th of July in Salem, here is how Dirk Hillyer sees Salem.

Dirk Hillyer, Conductor
The Hillyer Festival Orchestra

Where are you from?
Portland, Oregon

How long have you worked in Salem?
25 Years

Your Top Five:

1. Place to eat: Pig's Eye
   
2. Place to shop: Harbor Sweets
   
3. Special Event: July Fourth!
4. Museum or Attraction: Salem Witch Museum
   
5. Hidden Gem: Harbor Sweets!

What or where do you recommend to guests from out of town?
Go to Salem Beer Works and the Salem Witch Museum.

Describe Salem in ten words or less:
A happenings city that is rising to terrific regional prominence, especially in the arts, such as July 4th, Salem Film Festival, Salem Theatre Company.

* * *

If you want to dine and explore like Dirk, here are the links to all of the places he recommends:

Dine
In a Pig's Eye
Finz
Victoria Station
Strega
Salem Beer Works

Explore
Salem Witch Museum
Peabody Essex Museum
Salem Film Fest
Salem Theatre Company
Salem Celebrates the Fourth!

To learn more about the Hillyer Festival Orchestra, visit HillyerFestivalOrchestra.com.

July 4th Photos

Here are some more pictures from last year's July 4th Celebration on Derby Wharf at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site. This year's celebration starts at 4pm on the 4th.

The Kidspace opens at 4pm.

Pack a picnic and hang out on the lawn!

Music on the Main Stage begins at 5pm with Sandra Lee.

The Hillyer Festival Orchestra begins at 7pm


The cast of Footloose from Summer Theatre at Salem State College will entertain us during intermission.


Fireworks over Salem Harbor at approximately 9:15pm.

It is an excellent, patriotic celebration of our Independence Day!


All photos (c) Scott Lanes.

Salem Will Celebrate the Fourth!

The Fourth of July is coming... despite all appearances, it really is summer, and next weekend (not this weekend) Salem will celebrate the Fourth of July on Derby Wharf for the 9th time! This is a great celebration that is fun, patriotic, celebratory, beautiful, and fun. Did I mention fun?

This year we will applaud the return of the Hillyer Festival Orchestra to the stage, we will ooh-and-ahhh at the military flyover, and we will delight in fireworks overhead as we listen to the 1812 Overture. We will clap along to Footloose with the cast from Salem State College's Summer Theatre, and we will picnic while Sandra Lee sings to us as the opening act.

The kids will dance, make patriotic crafts, and have red-white-and-blue shapes painted on their faces. There will be funnel cake, hot dogs, pizza, ice cream, and kettle corn.

We've done this in the rain. We've done it in shine. It's a wonderful Salem tradition that is all at once American, New England, and all of us who attend.

It all starts at 4pm on July 4th at Derby Wharf at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site. I hope you can join us. (Photography of July 4, 2008 (c) Scott Lanes)

July 4th in Salem

Salem does great things to celebrate Independence Day. And every year it seems to get better!

This year, the celebration begins at 9:00 AM on Salem Common when the Salem Common Neighborhood Association will host a public reading of the Declaration of Independence. The public is invited to attend and celebrate the 232nd birthday of this document that changed the history of the world!

Salem Celebrates the Fourth in the evening beginning at 4:00 PM at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site. Here's the schedule:

4:00 PM - Kids' Space opens with free activities including a DJ, games, crafts, and face painting. (Did I mention free?) Mix 98.5 will be giving away free ice cream - while supplies last -at 5:00 PM.

5:00 PM - Sandra Lee Live in Concert at the Main Stage.

7:15 PM - POPS! Concert featuring The Hillyer Festival Orchestra.

8:10 PM - Military flyover by the Barnes Air National Guard 104th Fighter Wing Unit.

8:15 PM - Intermission performance from Grease by Salem State College Summer Theatre.

9:15 PM - Fireworks Extravaganza! over Salem Harbor accompanied by the Hillyer Festival Orchestra.

Pack a picnic and bring your blankets and chairs - or buy your meal at the site. Food vendors will be on hand selling crowd-pleasers like hot dogs, popcorn, cold drinks, and desserts.

(It's a true family event - hence my pictures of Conductor Dirk Hillyer interacting with some of the children from the audience!)

These events are made possible by contributions from the Greater Salem community, especially Skyrocket Sponsors Dominion Salem Harbor Station and Target. Thanks to the sponsors who allow for this incredible annual event to continue each year.