BOSTON (WHDH) - The Boston Pops announced Friday that they have canceled their live Fourth of July concert and fireworks extravaganza on the Esplanade due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“The live performance on the Charles River Esplanade will not take place due to public health concerns related to the spread of COVID-19,” the Pops said in a news release.
The Boston Pops will instead conduct a special “Salute to Our Heroes” performance on Saturday, July 4, “to pay tribute to the frontline workers in many fields” and “to honor those who have lost their lives during the current health crisis while celebrating our diverse nation’s founding values of liberty and justice for all.”
In keeping with tradition, the concert will also include the Boston Pops’ signature performances of Tchaikovsky’s “1812” Overture and “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” among other favorites.
RELATED: Parades, festivals, other large events will not take place in Boston this summer, Walsh says
Boston Pops Conductor Keith Lockhart will host this special broadcast.
“All of us at the Boston Pops are pleased to have this opportunity to pay tribute to the many and various
frontline workers who have been the glue holding our communities together since this health crisis
began, and to honor those who have lost their lives due to the coronavirus,” Lockhart said in a statement. “We hope A Boston Pops Salute to Our Heroes will bring viewers and listeners the consolation, comfort,
and inspiration we all seek during these challenging times.”
Mayor Martin J. Walsh added, “While a live concert and fireworks display are not possible this year due to the ongoing public health crisis, I am so glad that thanks to a host of partners who were determined to carry on this tradition, the show will go on in a new way. I encourage all residents who look forward to Boston’s Independence Day celebrations to embrace this year’s celebration with us, as we mark another moment in our nation’s history.”
Bloomberg will broadcast and stream the event. It will also air on WHDH-TV starting at 8 p.m.
Click here for more coronavirus coverage.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)