This State House Ceremony will honor the Pilgrim forefathers and Native people who are immortalized in the historic founding of Plymouth Colony. The General Society of Mayflower Descendants, Pilgrim families, and Wampanoag families will be in attendance. Additional, invited participants include the Governor and State Legislators, Federal Legislators, Representatives of The UK, The Netherlands, The Ancient and Honorables, and more.
The Wampanoag Ancestors Walk will be led by the Wampanoag tribes of Massachusetts. Placards will be carried with the names of the original 69 villages of the Wampanoag Nation. Participants will pay homage to Massasoit and King Phillip and will stop at designated sites to bless the spots where Wampanoag ancestors walked. The walk will conclude with a drum ceremony and homage to Native souls, followed by a reception.
The Official Maritime Salute pays tribute to the Pilgrims’ journey on board the Mayflower from Plymouth, England, to the site of Plymouth Colony in the new world. A regatta of wooden ships, yachts, work boats, official vessels, and pleasure craft will culminate in a traditional New England lobster dinner on the waterfront. Military fanfare and maritime programming will be part of the day’s festivities.
Stay tuned for more information on how YOU can register your boat to be part of a special Parade of Lights during the event!
The Opening Ceremony of the Plymouth 400 Commemoration will be a two-hour event of historical content, musical headliners, interpretive readings, choreographed movement, original productions, and visual narratives to create a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle. The Plymouth 400 Legacy Time Capsule will be introduced, and the first items will be placed inside by special guests. Honoring the past and celebrating the future, each of the commemoration themes – exploration, innovation, self-governance, religious expression, immigration, and thanksgiving – will be presented in creative ways. Invited participants include state and federal officials, representatives of the UK, The Netherlands, colony partners, and many more.