Plymouth MA National Three Day Thanksgiving Event

PLYMOUTH, Mass. - Nov. 13, 2013 - PRLog -- America’s Hometown Thanksgiving Celebration has been rated one of the top destinations for families at Thanksgiving.  Drawing an attendance of 200,000 people, it offers a family friendly environment with much to do for adults and children of all ages.  This year our theme is Heroes Past and Present featuring Wampanoags, Pilgrims, Patriots and modern day heroes from all walks of life.  A special appearance of Abraham Lincoln commemorates the 150^th anniversary of the Proclamation that gave us our national holiday will also take place.

         There are free historic tours of the waterfront on Friday afternoon, and then a free Veteran memorial concert in the evening.  The concert features Hero Art by Rob Surette, three sisters called Letters from Home, and the Edwards Twins, hosted by our own Channel 5 Eye-opener team from Boston.

         On Saturday morning the opening ceremonies at 10:30 will feature the Pilgrim ceremonial candle lighting. The parade, a chronological visual historic story, is put together similar to the first parades.  Each division in our parade  represents a century.  We begin by honoring Wampanoag natives and the first Pilgrim settlers, including a scale model of the Mayflower.

         The floats in our parade are unique.  Designed and personally hand crafted by volunteers, they embrace a standard of excellence in craftsmanship.  The finished product floats by the thousands who come to view this visual history book, providing an educational experience.  This year our heroes past and present will feature Native Americans, Pilgrims, Patriots from Massachusetts who helped win our Independence, Abraham Lincoln, Nathaniel Morton, Calvin Coolidge, and John F. Kennedy.  It will culminate with Boston Strong –with the heroes from the Boston Marathon, as well as our beloved Red Sox.  In addition, traditional floats that provide an historic and seasonal ambiance, like the Turkeys, Victorian carolers and Saint Nicholas.

Now in its fourth year, the America’s Hometown Express sponsored by Marty’s GMC continues to chug along, bringing tons of food and hundreds of meals to needy families as a part of America’s Hometown Thanksgiving Celebration the weekend before Thanksgiving.  A school bus transformed into a locomotive in 2010 has collected food from a crowd of over 200,000 whose bags are put in the locomotive and coal car along the parade route.

Part of the mission of America’s Hometown Thanksgiving is to inspire Americans in “America’s Hometown”, as well as around the nation is to have a meal on every table during the Thanksgiving Holiday and all year.  This year not only has Marty’s GMC stepped up to help us in the effort, Stop & Shop has partnered with the Celebration in the A.H.T.C. fights hunger initiative.  Stop & Shop will be onsite and in the parade in an effort to eliminate hunger. Bring your non-perishable donation of food the America’s Hometown Express sponsored  and give to the Greater Plymouth Food Warehouse.  What better place to demonstrate charity and personal concern for one’s neighbor than in “America’s Hometown” where Thanksgiving began?


         Following the parade, you can wander in the historic village, striking up conversations with historic heroes past, asking Natives, Pilgrims, Patriots, Abraham Lincoln and others any questions you like. Visit The Hannaford  Supermarkets New England Food Festival filled with the best samples from restaurants in our area, and do some early shopping from the craft and vendors.

We are proud to welcome the World Famous Budweiser Clydesdales this year to our parade, experience The Brewmaster Experience, which will be located adjacent to the Clydesdale Tent on Water Street,  all sponsored by L Knife and Son. Don’t forget to buy your ticket for the annual Senior Drum and Bugle Corps reunion concert on Saturday night.

         On Sunday a special Pilgrim Progress will take place at 8:30 in the historic village, followed by the annual Makepeace Farms Harvest Market.  The Market includes a full day of bluegrass complimented by local farmers and food makers selling and sampling their products.  Sunday also includes ongoing activities in the Children’s Learning Pavilion and the Crafters Pavilion.   You may still catch a glimpse or pay a visit to Abraham Lincoln in the afternoon before he returns to Springfield, Illinois!  All in all, you will experience Americana at its best, and leave feeling grateful for the blessings of heroes past and present this year at Thanksgiving!