SOMERS — The town of Somers will mark America’s 250th anniversary with a full day of patriotic celebration on Friday, Aug. 15, at Field Road Park, bringing together history, music, family activities and a drone-based laser light show to cap off the festivities.
The celebration is the centerpiece of a year-long effort organized by the town’s Ad Hoc America 250 Planning Committee, which was formed last year following a statewide initiative encouraging municipalities to create local America 250 commissions.
“Picking up on the promotions from the America 250 CT commission for towns to form their own commissions, the town of Somers did so a year ago,” said David Pinney, chair of the Ad Hoc America 250 Planning Committee. “It is appropriate to engage with America’s history from the local community perspective.”
Pinney noted that the Revolutionary movement grew from conversations in towns like Somers long before independence was declared.
“Growing frustrations with Great Britain’s rule of the colonies was first publicly discussed at the community level, leading to the shared sentiment that breaking from Great Britain was necessary and culminating in the adoption of the Declaration of Independence,” he said.
Somers also played a meaningful role in the nation’s founding. According to Pinney, the town sent more than 50 militia members to Boston after news of the battles at Lexington and Concord and Somers soldiers fought at Bunker Hill. Throughout the Revolutionary War, the community supplied troops and provisions to the Continental Army.
The Aug. 15 celebration will feature continuous entertainment on two stages, beginning with an opening ceremony at noon. Musical performances include the Connecticut Valley Field Music, Connecticut’s first Official State Troubadour Tom Callinan, Dave & AJ Acoustic of Shovelhead, Blood Brothers Band and The Savage Brothers Band. The evening will also include the Presentation of Colors by American Legion Buck-Dubiel Post 101, a public reading of the Declaration of Independence and the National Anthem performed by Somers resident Theresa Kate before the drone show at 8:30 p.m.
Families will find plenty to enjoy throughout the afternoon, with free activities from 1-3 p.m., including face painting, bubble wands, chalk paint, coloring pages, hula hoops, sack races, music and crafts. Bounce houses and a photo booth will be available throughout the afternoon, while children can also enjoy performances by Miss Renee of Harmonious Happenings and magician Stevie Kidding.
Food trucks will be on site throughout the day.
“The town’s planning committee is working with the school district, the public library, the historical society and cultural commission, the beautification committee, the Buck/Dubiel Post 101 of the American Legion and the town’s veterans’ affairs department to coordinate activities through the year and particularly for the main celebration on August 15th,” Pinney said. “Throughout all of this, we focus on coming together as a community to recognize and celebrate the beginnings of our country as a nation founded on and supported by a conviction that we all have both a right and a responsibility to create and maintain the government that best provides for our individual and collective welfare and happiness.”
The free community celebration will conclude at 9 p.m. following the drone-based laser light show at dusk.
