NEWBURYPORT – New Orleans has Mardi Gras. San Antonio has Fiesta, week long, citywide parties that hosst colorful events, concerts, parades and sometimes fireworks.
This old port city on the Merrimack River enjoys Yankee Homecoming, which starts Saturday, and ends after a week of events, concerts, parades and fireworks. It ends with a huge parade next Sunday, Aug. 4.
For 66 years, Yankee Homecoming has been bringing residents, former residents and visitors to the city. It started in 1958 with 29 other New England communities in an effort to promote economic growth.
Newburyport, one of the last cities to join with the other cities, is now the only community that still celebrates Yankee Homecoming.
The theme of this year’s celebration is A Family Tradition. Alysha Robitaille, this year’s general chair, wrote that she chose the theme because she realized it has been her family’s tradition for generations.
“I like to say that I was born into Yankee Homecoming,” she wrote on the Yankee Homecoming web site. “My tradition included my Mom bringing me to Olde Fashioned Sunday, walking around at the Craft Fair, attending the Waterfront Concerts and seeing the Fireworks.
“This tradition has continued to this day, as I look forward to Yankee Homecoming each year. However, it wasn’t until I was older that I realized it really was a family tradition. My grandparents and parents have been General Chairs multiple times, so it only made sense that I loved the festival as much as they did.”
Yankee Homecoming with its blue and white flags around the city opens Saturday with several popular events, especially the annual Brewfest. The final official event of Yankee Homecoming is the parade.
The parade kicks off at the corner of Moseley Avenue and Ferry Road, then proceeds down historic High Street in Newburyport, finishing on State Street. Leading the parade will be fire engines and Robitaille, the General Chairman.
The fireworks display is scheduled for 9:15 p.m. Friday, Aug. 3.
The Brewfest for Yankee Homecoming will start at 5 p.m. and end at 9 p.m. It serves as the fundraiser for event. All proceeds go to support Yankee Homecoming.
The battle of the bands for high school students is scheduled for 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. July 27 at the waterfront stage.
The Olde Fashion Sunday event will take place at the Bartlet Mall from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Bartlett Mall.
Local waiters and waitresses will race for prizes and prestige, followed by lots of fun from 3:30 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. on July 29.
The Lions Club Road Race is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. July 30
The popular Art on Bartlet Mall is scheduled for two days, July 27 and 28, starting at 10 a.m. at High Street and Pond Street.
For more information on all the events, visit yankeehomecoming.com/events.
