Despite the heat, Acton Fife and Drum heralded the arrival of America’s birthday at The Old Manse.
Left to right, Kermit King, Dave Irwin, Jay Powers, and Andrea Kalkstein performed Revolutionary music Friday at The Old Manse in honor of Independence Day. Photo: Stephen Beyer/The Acton Bridge
Many Acton institutions reshuffled their plans for celebrating the nation’s 250th because of the heat wave, but members of the Acton Fife and Drums donned their traditional Colonial garb and tricorns Friday to educate and entertain an audience at The Old Manse with Revolutionary tunes. The crowd — dressed in cooler fashion — eventually overflowed a sheltering tent and listened from the surrounding shade. Temperatures were forecast to climb back into the 90s on Saturday.
Photos: Stephen Beyer/The Acton Bridge
Scott Evans educates the crowd about the morning’s musical performance.Fife and drum music helped provide direction on the Revolutionary War battlefield.Penny Harrington, who works at the Old Manse, broke out a star-spangled outfit for the occasion.Those who couldn’t fit under the tent gathered on the shaded perimeter.Hydration and air circulation helped counter the day’s oppressive heat.Concordians Axel and Scarlett Sreetharan, ages 6 and 4, showed their stripes on the eve of the Fourth.Fife and Drum members including Jay Powers didn’t forgo the classic Colonial garb despite the sweltering heat.South Carolinian Jocelyn Hodovance, visiting for the holiday, stirred up her own cooling breeze.Miles Miller and Karen Jeng Miller sheltered their children Mara, 4, and Miles, 7, from the blazing sun.
