Maplewood's annual Fourth of July celebration is a full day of events organized by your neighbors who make up the July 4th Committee of the Maplewood Civic Association. New volunteers are always welcome! If you were wondering about the history of this event, here is some background, courtesy of a press release from the committee:
July Fourth in Maplewood, over a century ago, was celebrated with a
town-wide picnic, a keynote speaker (usually a politician), athletic contests and barbecues. Citizens, generally in groupings by neighborhood, made their way to the picnic grounds. Informal processions gradually turned into elaborate parades with costumes and bands, becoming fierce (and expensive) competitions between neighborhoods. The July Fourth Committee was formed to unite the township activities. Eventually the Maplewood Civic Association was organized, encompassing the Committee and dedicated to a tradition of family-oriented July Fourth celebrations. A reasonably priced tag per person gets you entree to the entire day of activities, including the Circus. Tags are available at the Town Hall Clerkâs Office, the Maplewood Memorial Libraries (both Main and Hilton branches), the Recreation Dept. at Town Hall and DeHart Park, and at many local merchants. Tags also will be for sale on July 4th in Memorial Park and at Evening Event Entrance Gates.
