For Immediate Release:
June 29, 2022
|
|
Media Contact:
Sarah Martin
C: 315-225-0256
|
|
Citizen Naturalization Ceremony and Independence Day at
Old Sturbridge Village
Village celebrates holiday with 19th-century activities, naturalization ceremony; July 2-4
|
|
Sturbridge, M.A. – The annual Independence Day Celebration returns to Old Sturbridge Village, Jul. 2-4, 2022. The weekend will be commemorated with a series of activities at the Village, including a citizens’ parade, fife and drum music, historical readings, and—on Monday—special performances by the Old Sturbridge Village Singers and Dancers and a naturalization ceremony to present and welcome new U.S. citizens.
|
|
Guests to Old Sturbridge Village can learn how 19th-century New Englanders celebrated the holiday. Throughout the weekend, six costumed interpreters will render the words of the Declaration line by line, assisted by a narrator who sets the words in their rich historical context. As the interpreters dramatize these 18th-century words and ideas, the narrator will draw out their meaning and challenge the audience to consider their relevance and power for today.
Called “Declaring Independence,” the performance is part of a multi-year joint initiative of Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area and the American Antiquarian Society to engage citizens in the ideas and transformative potential of the Declaration of Independence. This initiative includes researching the ways in which independence was conceived and debated within colonial communities in the years leading up to 1776, tracing how the Declaration’s role evolved in American communities and considering the challenges and potential of this living document for Americans today.
|
|
Perhaps the most meaningful event of the celebration is the hosting of an on-site Citizen Naturalization Ceremony on Jul. 4. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will present candidates to the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Those taking part in the ceremony will pledge their Oath of Allegiance to the United States for the very first time—a moment shared in a place with so much U.S. history, on the day of the nation’s birth.
Independence Day Celebration activities are included with standard daytime admission or Village membership. Standard daytime admission rates are $28 for adults, $26 for seniors (55+), $14 for youth (4-17) and college students. The Village is free to children ages 3 and under. More information on the Independence Day Celebration can be found at: https://www.osv.org/event/independence-4th-of-july/.
###
|
|
MEDIA
About Old Sturbridge Village
Old Sturbridge Village, first opened to the public in 1946, is one of the country's oldest and largest living history museums, celebrating life in early New England from 1790-1840. It is the largest living history museum in the Northeast, celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2021. Each year, more than 250,000 visitors interact with costumed historians, experience up-close demonstrations of early American trades, and meet heritage breed farm animals. Situated on 200 scenic acres, the Village is a collection of more than 40 historic buildings - including homes, meetinghouses, trade shops, working farms, restaurants, shops and three water-powered mills.
Located just off the Massachusetts Turnpike and Routes I-84 and 20 in Sturbridge, Mass., Old Sturbridge Village is open year-round, but days and hours vary seasonally. Daily admission is: $28 for adults, $26 for seniors, $14 for College Students, $14 for children ages 4-17, with children 3 and under admitted free. Admission includes free parking. Village Members receive free standard daytime admission. For details, visit https://www.osv.org/plan-your-visit/.
Old Sturbridge Village is also the managing partner of Coggeshall Farm Museum in Bristol, R.I. Members at OSV receive reciprocal membership at Coggeshall Farm Museum.
|
|
More Ways to Connect with Us! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
