The Roots of Bristol’s 4th of July Celebration: Part XI

Rainy Fourths

Neither rain, hurricane, nor tornado will detour this patriotic parade

Considering the number of years the Fourth has been celebrated in Bristol, it is an interesting footnote on the ever-growing history of the celebration that only 15 times relentless rain has fallen on parade day. During the nineteenth-century intermittent sprinkles and light showers merely cooled parade participants and settled the dust of the town’s unpaved streets. Only occasionally, since Patriotic Exercises moved to the terrace of the Colt School, has drizzling rain forced participants indoors to the school's auditorium. Yes, it sometimes rains on the Fourth of July in Bristol, but rain has never dampened the spirits of the thousands who come to participate in or witness the State of Rhode Island’s Official Fourth of July Parade.

1992: It rained during the parade for the first time in 14 years. The constant early morning showers drove the Patriotic Exercises indoors onto the stage of the Colt Memorial School. The rain fell heavy at times, but the mostly constant drizzle with the threat of an imminent down-pour kept the parade watches and venders from wandering too far from the cover of porches and over-hanging tree branches.

1988: Just as the Chief Marshal’s Division reached the junction of Hope and Thames Sts., a mini-tornado or "water sprite" developed in Bristol Harbor but it did no material damage. It did however became the highlight of the day to the few hundred who witnessed its erratic twisting for less than a minute.

1978: The soaking, chilling rain with 60-degree temperatures and winds of 25 miles per hour apparently kept thousands away, but not the force of die-hard parade enthusiasts of about 25,000.

1968: Rain failed to dampen the town’s 183rd consecutive celebration. The skies were lead gray and occasional rain fell during the Exercises held on the steps of the Colt Memorial School.

1944: Just as the strains of the Boy Scout Drum and Bugle Corps exhibition died away, the clouds that threatened all day broke with a sudden downpour. The rain lasted for approximately an hour and when it stopped the holiday activities continued.

1943: ...the weather on the Fourth was generally wet and the field events planned for the common grounds had to be canceled. It rained on the Parade, but the march went on as scheduled. Despite the rain, crowds lined the sidewalks and many watched from the covers of piazzas as the procession moved along the usual route.

1940: The day we celebrate dawned with threatening weather. Despite the lack of sunshine and the possibility of a downpour at any moment, about 3,000 marchers, which included an impressive representation by Uncle Sam’s armed forces, traveled the entire parade route to the reviewing stand in front of the Reynolds School.

1934: A storm was approaching, and eager to see the evening’s main attraction before the rains came, just before 9 o’clock, a group of youngsters ignited the bonfire on the common. the fireworks display that was already prepared for the Fourth was partly destroyed by the thundershowers.

1933: In cold and rainy weather more appropriate to mid-spring than early July, Bristol closed its three-day observance of the 157th anniversary of American Independence on Tuesday with a program easily the equal of those provided in previous years ... the day’s program included a Grand Military, Fireman’s and Civic Parade, patriotic exercises, band concerts, Boy Scout rally, a wet and dry hose coupling contest between firemen from various sections of the state, and an exhibition of baseball on the common, the Bristol County Water Battle championship matches, and boxing bouts featureing youngsters from the Sockanosset School. Thousands of residents and visitors witnessed the many attractions.

1922: Notwithstanding the unfavorable weather conditions, Bristol’s Fourth of July Celebration this year took rank with the best of the many that this old town has held.

The parade formed between 9 and 10:30 in the drizzling rain. But, just before Chief Marshal Dr. W. Frederick Williams, Jr., gave the order to march at 10:40 a.m. the rain ceased. The clouds hung heavy all day, but rain did not fall until after 5:30 p.m. when all the planned events of the day were completed. The bad weather notwithstanding, a crowd described as “tremendous” gathered along the line of march and showed their approval by bestowing their applause on the various units and features of the parade.

1916: At 3:30 p.m. there was a base ball game between the Bristol All Stars and a team from the USS KANSAS.

A drizzling rain fell during the entire contest, a large crowd watched the ball game on the common.... The game was interesting up to the end of the seventh inning, when the score was tied at five runs. In the first of the eighth, however, the sailors hit the ball hard, and the Bristol team made many errors, the combination netting six runs, and giving the KANSAS men a victory by a score of 11 to 5.

1915: The weather was cloudy and showery all forenoon, culminating in a sharp shower just before noon, and it was not until nearly three p.m. that the weather cleared.

Additional references to rainy or otherwise inclement weather on July 4th in Bristol can be found lurking, as asides, in several sections of Independence Day: How the Day is Celebrated in Bristol, Rhode Island. Copies may be purchased at Rogers Library, Linden Place and Herreshoff Museum gift shops and Revuval Gifts on Thames Street.