Patriotic proclamation on Independence Day 2024

LAKEVILLE — The traditional Fourth of July celebration at the town Grove on Lake Wononscopomuc went off without a hitch Thursday, July 4.

The rain held off until well after the main event, and even then it didn’t amount to much.

Sponsored by the Salisbury Association, the event features Lou Bucceri, dressed as Heman Allen, receiving the brand-new Declaration of Independence and reading it aloud.

Allen, er, Bucceri said he has been reading the Declaration on July 4 at the Grove every year since 2002.

“Except for weather and COVID.”

This took about 15 minutes and apparently made people hungry, as the line for hot dogs from EXTRAS (the childcare program at Salisbury Central School) was exponentially longer post-Declaration than pre-Declaration.

The Salisbury Band, led by Brian Viets, played its traditional mix of marches and popular tunes.

Before things got started Tracie Shannon of Lakeville was walked by her energetic dog Jasper to the main office at the beach to say hello to Grove manager Stacey Dodge.

Jasper, a small, white wooly type of dog, was all for this and displayed an astonishing ability to leap several feet in the air with no apparent effort.