Fourth of July Parade Committee

About the Committee

It is the charge of the 4th of July Parade Committee to plan, organize and raise appropriate funds for, Hingham’s annual Independence Day Parade.  The floats, marchers, and bands are provided by different organizations, both local and distant.  The fundraisers pay for the marching bands, entertainers, groups with horses, as well as the historic civil & revolutionary war marching units that everyone enjoys during the parade. The current version of the Parade Committee was created in 1992. 

The major fundraisers for the Parade are currently: the 50 Flags Campaign, annual Parade button donations, corporate sponsorships and contributions from both local and regional businesses, and residential donations. The Hingham Rotary provides us a great service by managing the sales of Parade Buttons at various local events; at nearly two dozen local businesses and municipal buildings; as well as, along the parade route on the 4th of July! 

Many local businesses provide assistance to the Parade Committee throughout the year, via in-kind donations such as design, printing, and product contributions.  These offerings assist the Parade Committee and generate additional monetary donations.  A special thanks is required for the year round assistance provided by the South Shore Country Club (SSCC) and Executive Director, Kevin Whalen, as well as Raffael’s, who manage the function and restaurant space at SSCC – from offering the use of their facility for our monthly meetings, running prior golf tournaments, and providing golf carts for the day of the Parade. More than 1,400 participants are typically included in the Parade, which requires months of planning by the Parade Committee that starts the November before the next parade! 

Many are surprised to learn that no tax dollars spent on the parade, which is funded 100% through private and corporate donations. As the parade has grown, so have the expenses. The current annual budget averages ~$55,000.  These expenses include the paid performers of the parade!  Each band and entertainer costs money, many are between $2,000 and $4,000!   The Select Board golf tournament fundraiser, when we’ve run this event, also costs several thousand dollars to organize, even with the generous discounts afforded us by Raffael's and the SSCC!

If you would like to be a part of the committee please contact Jim Murphy, 4th of July Parade Committee Chair, at jmurphylsp@gmail.com. If you would like to participate in the parade or have an idea for a fundraiser, please contact us through our information within the Town of Hingham website or send an email to Hingham4th@gmail.com.