GREENFIELD — The city will mark 250 years of American Independence with the annual fireworks display on Sunday, July 5, featuring a four-wheeled special guest.
Beacon Field will be filled with vendors, food trucks and entertainment starting at 4 p.m., all leading up to the launch of the fireworks from Poet’s Seat Tower at 9:35 p.m. Adelaide Ehle will sing the national anthem at 9:30 p.m. before the fireworks start.
Recreation Director Christy Moore said this year’s event will keep to tradition and be similar to previous years, with performances by the Greenfield Community Band, Pizazz Dance Studio, Janet Ryan and Straight Up, and Well Suited. The event will also include the annual presentation of the Fortin Family Award, which recognizes a resident, family or organization that best displays a dedication to Greenfield.
“This year’s fireworks celebration is especially meaningful as we commemorate our nation’s 250th anniversary,” Moore said in a statement. “Fireworks are more than a display — they represent pride, tradition and shared experiences. With community support, we can continue this cherished celebration and light up the sky in honor of our history, our community and the generations to come.”
The temporary closure of Poet’s Seat Tower will not impact this year’s fireworks, which are
launched from the ground near the tower, rather than from the tower itself.
The Recreation Department has been raising money for months to cover the display, which typically costs about $20,000, and is still accepting donations for this year’s festivities.
“Our community will mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence with our wonderful annual fireworks display,” Mayor Ginny Desorgher said in a statement. “We hope everyone can join us for this year’s fireworks celebration, and, if interested, consider donating to support our Recreation Department’s fireworks fund.”
While musical performances and the fireworks themselves are set to be the same as previous years, attendees can expect one new addition: the city’s 1867 stagecoach.
Historical Commission member Sarah Bolduc said the stagecoach will be loaded onto a flatbed truck and brought to Beacon Field for all to see. With America celebrating its 250th anniversary, Bolduc said it felt like a great chance to introduce people to an artifact of local history.
“We felt like we had this incredible piece of Greenfield history,” Bolduc said. “It felt right to let people connect with our local history. … We want people to fall in love with it.”
Bolduc said she does not believe the stagecoach has been out for the public to see since the 1990s, but the Historical Commission would like to see it used again. The commission is seeking grant funding to support restoration, and will accept donations at the fireworks celebration and sell stickers.
“I’d love to bring it out to the fairgrounds and have it in the parade,” Bolduc added. “I’m ridiculously excited.”
Commission members will be on site to answer questions and talk about the history of the stagecoach, and she hopes its presence will help people feel excited about and interested in preserving it. Bolduc added that the fact that the stagecoach has survived so long is “an act of hope,” and restoring it would be a gift to future generations.
“The fact that it was allowed to persist into 2026 was due to small acts of stewardship,” Bolduc said. “This is something that people in Greenfield and regionally can look at and realize our actions can have positive impacts.”
A rain date for the fireworks has been set for Monday, July 6. For more information, visit greenfieldrecreation.com.
