Dear Dr. Debbie,
My family is looking for something to do this weekend that isn’t just about the framers of the Constitution, as daring and important as that was. How do we help our children appreciate the diversity within the American story?
Universal Stories of All
Dear U.S.A.,
You are in luck. (Let’s hope we get lucky with the weather! At this writing, high temperatures and humidity are expected which can sometimes lead to late day thunderstorms.)
The Annapolis250 Commission has been planning to honor the country’s semiquincentennial since 2023. A wide variety of activities are planned in and around the downtown area to bring attention to Inclusive History and the Unfinished Revolution.
Ongoing through the end of the year, your family can explore the America250 Exploration Trail which includes 50+ sites in the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County area. It’s free to participate. For visiting 13 sites you receive a 4-pack of stickers from our past, present, and future. After visiting 25 sites, you’ll earn a pair of “Be Revolutionary” socks. The game ends December 31, 2026. Prizes must be collected by January 31, 2027.
The following events this coming weekend are all free of charge:
Friday, July 3
8:30 – 11:30 pm “Hamilton” movie preceded by a concert with the Brass Quintet of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, St. John’s College, campus lawn, 60 College Ave. Bring a blanket or lawn chairs.
Saturday, July 4
Plan to park the car and do some walking. Find parking suggestions and free shuttle information here.
10 – 11 am Piscataway Nation Singers and Dancers at Maryland Hall, front lawn, 801 Chase Street.
11 am – 1 pm One Country, Many Cultures: Multicultural Folktales at Chesapeake Children’s Museum, 25 Silopanna Road. Enjoy stories from China, Mexico, the Caribbean, west Africa, and Native America.
11:45 am George Washington & Marquis de LaFayette have a conversation about liberty at 2nd Street, Eastport.
1 – 3 pm One Country, Many Cultures: Multicultural Folk Dancing at People’s Park, with music from Ireland, Latin America, west Africa, Eastern Europe, and Guyana, 44 Calvert Street.
1 – 4 pm Scavenger Hunt and exhibits, Maryland State House & Old Treasury Building, State Circle.
3 pm Group Sing: “Fifty Nifty United States” at People’s Park, 44 Calvert Street.
3:15 – 3:45 pm “Oh, Freedom!” musical about the ongoing struggle for freedom including women and people of color, People’s Park.
3:45 pm Frederick Douglass reads his speech “What to the Slave is the 4th of July?” People’s Park
4 – 5 pm Songs of Black Pride and Protest with Silopanna Band at People’s Park.
6:30 pm City of Annapolis Parade, from Amos Garret Blvd along West Street to Church Circle.
7:45 pm United States Naval Academy Electric Brigade concert at Maryland State House.
9:15 pm Fireworks display over Spa Creek (can be seen from all over the downtown area and parts of Eastport).
Declaration of Independence
And to keep the celebration going, commemorate the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence which was on July 8, 1776 in Philadelphia:
Wednesday, July 8
6 pm Simultaneous Reading of the Declaration of Independence at Chesapeake Children’s Museum and other outdoor sites across the entire country. (You can do it from home, if you like!) CCM’s reading will be in Spanish. The museum will be open afterwards for “Food Revolution” ice cream – sweetened only by bananas.
Pursuit of Happiness
You can help everyone in the family get into the spirit of the festivities by sharing your answers to the question, “What does the pursuit of happiness mean to me?” on the Annapolis250 website.
People have been pondering this question for at least 250 years. A worthy pursuit, indeed!
Dr. Debbie
Write your question to Dr. Debbie! Please include age(s) of your child(ren) and other details about the situation or concern.
Deborah Wood, Ph.D. is a child development specialist and founding director of Chesapeake Children’s Museum, located at 25 Silopanna Road in Annapolis. Online reservations are available or call: 410-990-1993. Walk-ins are welcome. There is a Nature Walk on Thursdays at 10:30 am. Art and Story Time with Mrs. Spears and Puppy the Puppet is on Mondays at 10:30 am.
Every Wednesday in July CCM hosts Crafternoons from 1-3 pm, with a different theme each week. All materials are provided!
Summer Family Memberships are on sale now. Unlimited admissions for your family through Labor Day.
