A historic New England coastal town is once again lighting up with red, white, and blue as it marks a milestone: the 240th anniversary of America’s oldest continuous Independence Day celebration.
Bristol, Rhode Island, has been hosting Fourth of July festivities since 1785—just two years after the end of the Revolutionary War. The tradition began with Reverend Henry Wight, a Revolutionary War veteran and pastor of the First Congregational Church, who led the town’s very first “Patriotic Exercises,” according to the official parade website.
Over time, what started as a modest walk to a local gathering evolved into a grand procession. By the early 1800s, Bristol’s celebrations had grown into a formal Military, Civic, and Firemen’s Parade—now one of the most iconic events in the nation…