Yankee Homecoming means many things to many people. Some love the week long waterfront concerts (July 26-August 1 this year).
Others anticipate the wonderful fireworks (August 1) or the quirky parade down High Street.
A handful of curmudgeons -book a flight to Santa Fe- to escape the excess traffic.
No one though can argue that it is an amazing tradition for Newburyport with deep homespun roots that can be passed on for generations.
Volunteer or check out the schedule of events for this year.
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It all started in 1958, the first year of Newburyport’s week-long summer celebration. During that decade most of the city’s factories and mills had closed, as well as downtown businesses, due to the economic climate. Storefronts were left empty. The federal initiative of “urban renewal” loomed large and threatened to demolish the bones of many communities.
New England artist Jack Frost had launched a crusade to revive appreciation for the heritage and beauty of New England by bringing back natives and visitors to the region’s towns and cities. His concept was to hold homecoming celebrations that would share with others the many historical landmarks still standing and motivate preservation. “It seemed that children and adults should be invited to see where history was made,” Frost wrote in the volume he published to promote this goal, Yankee Homecoming 1958.
It became the National Pilgrimage Back East. Where It All Began.
By chance(?), Frost and Joe Mathers, then manager of the Newburyport radio station WNBP, met on Cape Cod and Frost shared his idea with him. Frost later met with George Cashman, who along with Joe Mathers was inspired by Frost’s vision to approach Newburyport’s business community members and city officials with the concept of a first Yankee Homecoming.
Newburyport, the last community to join, was accompanied by twenty-nine other New England communities that held their own celebrations.
George Cashman became the first Yankee Homecoming Chairman.
Understanding the national significance of the beginnings of the United States Coast Guard in Newburyport, George Cashman chose August 4th, the birthday of the Coast Guard to be the basis of celebration.
Every year since 1958, Yankee Homecoming has recognized the Coast Guard for its contributions to our community.
That first year Newburyport was joined by dozens of communities throughout New England in providing a ‘Yankee Homecoming celebration’.
Today Newburyport is the only community that continues the tradition in its original form. This is in itself a demonstration of the amazing sense of community in this Town and a truly noteworthy volunteer effort both on the part of individuals and businesses that goes into organizing this event.