July 4 fireworks canceled due to school project

The traditional Lincoln Fourth of July fireworks show in Codman Field has been canceled this year because of the upcoming school construction project and won’t resume until work is done.

In a letter to the Lincoln community posted by the Lincoln Police Department and the Parks and Recreation Department, Chief of Police Kevin Kennedy and Parks and Rec Director Dan Pereira said the school campus won’t have sufficient parking or pedestrian access while construction is going on. There isn’t any other site in town that can accommodate the show, which attracts over 5,000 spectators and 1,000 cars each year, they said.

Construction work on the two-phase school project is slated to begin this June and be “substantially complete” in June 2022.

“An event of this scale cannot be run safely in the reduced space. We have not yet determined when the campus will be ready to resume this tradition, but will keep you informed,” the letter said.

All July 4th morning activities (the road race, reading of the Declaration of Independence, children’s bicycle parade, main parade and Boy Scout lunch) are expected to run as usual, and the Codman Pool will remain open and free for community use that day.

“We are always looking for new energy and ideas to invigorate our public events, especially during the temporary loss of this beloved tradition,” the letter says. Anyone interested in helping out should contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 781-259-0784.