Become a Member!
Join our committee! Membership applications are must be postmarked by August 1st.
Not a Bristol resident but still looking to volunteer? Sign up here to be a Celebration Volunteer. We'll reach out to bring you into the loop when our Celebration begins to ramp up!
Photos by Nat Squatrito
Fourth of July Celebration
Bristol, Rhode Island 's
America's Oldest Continuous Fourth of July Celebration
Fourth of July Celebration
Past Patriotic Speakers
The Oldest Continuous Celebration in the United States. Patriotic Exercises is the foundation for our claim. Each year a Patriotic Speaker or Speaker of the Day is chosen by the Committee to speak to our community to kick off July 4th.
PAST PATRIOTIC SPEAKERS
1785 - PRESENT
2000 - PRESENT
1990 - 1999
1785 - 1899
2025 –
2024 – BG (Ret.) Greg Ebner
2023 – COL(Ret) Joe McGraw
2022 – Louis P. Cirillo
2021 – Major Margaret Lero Larson
2020 – Capt. Mark Turner
2019 – Ryber Ferris
2018 – Dick Devault
2017 – COL Andrew James Drake
2016 – Robert G. Flanders, Jr.
2015 – Dr. Donald J. Farish
2014 – MG Kevin R. McBride
2013 – RADM Robert O. Wray, Jr.
2012 – Ira Magaziner
2011 – BG Rick Baccus
2010 – Rev. Daniel B. Randall
2009 – COL Edward O. Cyr, M.S.N.
2008 – Dr. William F. Bundy
2007 – Dr. Patrick T. Conley
2006 – Senator Jack Reed
2005 – Paul Fletcher
2004 – Anthony J.Dennis
2003 – Rear Adm. Barbara McGann
2002 – David Foehr
2001 – Anthony J. Santoro
2000 – GEN Michael T. Byrnes (Ret)
1999 – Hon. Frank J. Williams
1998 – Jerome M. Donovan
1997 – Corn. Linda Borges-DuBois
1996 – LT COL Anthony D. Nastri
1995 – Porter A. Halyburton
1994 – Richard V. Simpson
1993 – William Sweeney
1992 – Mario Mancieri
1991 – Manuel C. “Manny” Correira
1990 – W. DeWolf Fulton
1989 – Joseph Caromile
1988 – Robert Arruda
1987 – Joseph Januario
1986 – Roswell S. Bosworth, Jr.
1985 – The Rev. Walter Rudy
1984 – Judge Eugene Cochran
1983 – RWC President Will. Rizzini
1982 – Dr. William Crausman
1981 – Robert L. daC. Bernard
1980 – Louis P. Alfano, Jr.
1979 – Joseph G. Kinder
1978 – BG Raymond A. Thomas
1977 – Judge Anthony J. Dennis
1976 – Chief Justice Jos. Bevilacqua
1975 – RADM Lucien Capone, Jr.
1974 – Bishop Louis E. Gelineau
1973 – Judge J.R. Weisberger
1972 – GEN Robert E. Cushman, Jr.
1971 – Edward Travers
1970 – Dr. Werner A. Baum
1969 – Roswell S. Bosworth
1968 – Dennis J. Roberts
1967 – RADM Means Johnston, Jr.
1966 – Monroe E. Toevs
1965 – Mort Blender
1964 – Judge Edward Plunkett
1963 – Judge Arthur Carrellas
1962 – Senator Claiborne Pell
1961 – Senator John 0. Pastore
1960 – George T. Howe
1959 – Justice J.R. Weisberger
1958 – Judge Robert E. Quinn
1957 – Brig. Gen. A.K. Sibley
1956 – Joseph F. Bruno, Colt School
1955 – Capt. William L. Eagleton
1954 – LT COL B.W. McLean, USMC
1953 – Hon. John Muccio, US Amb.
1952 – Dr. You Chan Yang
1951 – Gov. Dennis J. Roberts
1951 – Capt. Richard Visser, USN
1950 – Senator Edward L. Leahy
1949 – RADM H.S. Kendall, USN
1948 – VADM John D. Price, USN
1947 – U.S. Senator J.H. McCrath
1946 – Commodore Paul Theiss, USN
1945 – Asst. Justice Capatosto
1944 – Judge M.A. Sullivan
1943 – Capt. Gilbert C. Hoover
1942 – Dr. Lucas A. Whipple
1941 – Judge John P. Hartigan
1940 – Judge M.A. Sullivan
1939 – Governor W.M. Vanderbilt
1938 – John W. Haley
1937 – John Scanlon
1936 – Asst. Justice A. Capatosto
1935 – Judge Alexander G. Churchill
1934 – Hon. Felix Hebert
1933 – Hon. Francis B. Condon
1932 – Hon. Ray Rawlings
1931 – Hon. M.A. Sullivan
1930 – Judge A.A. Capatosto
1929 – Asst. Att. Gen. J.F. Hughes
1928 – Att. Gen. Charles Sisson
1927 – Bishop Louis C. Sanford
1926 – Hon. Richard W. Jennings
1925 – Hon. Leo M. Harlow
1924 – Mrs. Ray Cox Flint
1923 – Senator McGrane
1922 – Rev. Luciano R. Capone
1921 – Sen. Herbert M. Sherwood
1920 – Asst. Att. Gen. A.A. Capatosto
1919 – Rev. F.S. Penfold
1918 – Hon. LeBaron B. Coltl
1917 – M. Louis DeSadeleer
1916 – Col. H. Anthony Dyer
1915 – Rev. Jamuel Lindsay
1914 – Lt. Gov. Roswell Burchard
1913 – Rev. A. Clark McGilton
1912 – Hon. Geo. O’Shaunnessy
1911 – Rev. A.C. Lamed
1910 – Governor Aram J. Pothier
1909 – James F. Lavander
1908 – Edward Lawrence Leahy
1907 – Rev. John McVay
1906 – William A. Kennedy
1905 – Rev. Samuel Smith Drury
1904 – Rev. i.F. Downing
1903 – Col. Frank T. Eastern
1902 – Rev. Wilenoir Hood
1901 – William T. O’Donnell
1899 – Henry W. Hayes
1898 – Hon. Orrin F. Bosworth
1897 – Irving H. Gamwall
1896 – Rev. A.W. Kingsley
1895 – William F. O’Donnell
1894 – Rev. S.D. Moxley
1893 – Samuel Morris, Jr., Esq.
1892 – Orrin F. Bosworth, Esq.
1891 – Rev. S.D. Moxiey
1890 – Rev. W.F. Davis
1889 – Theron H. Carter
1888 – Samuel Norris, Jr., Esq.
1887 – Rev. S. Hamilton Dayl
1886 – Hon. Henry J. Coggeshall
1885 – Gen. Horatio Rogers
1884 – Col. Daniel R. Ballou
1883 – Samuel Norris, Jr., Esq.
1882 – COL George T. French
1881 – Rev. Edwin F. Jones
1880 – no record
1879 – Hon. James C. Collins
1878 – LeBaron B. Colt, Esq.
1877 – Hon. Francis Brinley
1876 – Rev. James D’Wolf Perry
1875 – COL Henry H. Robinson
1874 – LeBaron B. Colt, Esq.
1873 – Hon. N.F. Dixon, Jr., Esq.
1872 – Rev. William Miller
1871 – Rev. James P. Lane
1870 – Rev. G.L. Westgate
1869 – John C. Pegram, Esq.
1868 – Rev. George L. Locke
1867 – Rev. J.J. Peck
1866 – Rev. Mark Tafton
1865 – Hon. Sidney Dean
1864 – Rev. William Stowe
1863 – Rev. S.F. Upham
1862 – Hon. Frances Minor
1861 – Thomas W. Bickness, Esq.
1860 – Rev. David H. Ela
1859 – Charles Blake, Esq.
1858 – John Turner, Esq.
1857 – Rev. Dr. S.K. Sweetman
1856 – Asa Arnold, Esq.
1855 – James T. Brady, Esq.
1854 – Thomas Shepard, Esq.
1853 – E.P. Whipple, Esq.
1852 – Rev. J.W. Smith
1851 – Rev. J.C. Richmond
1839-50 – no records avialable
1838 – Dr. Silas Holmes
1837 – Rev. Dr. Henry Wight
1836 – Russell Bullock
1827-35 – Rev. Dr. Henry Wight
1826 – Walter W. Dalton
1822-25 – Rev. Dr. Henry Wight
1821 – Professor John D’Wolf, Jr.
1820 – Joseph W. Torry, Esq.
1816-19 – Rev. Dr. Henry Wight
1815 – Rev. Barnabas Bates
1785-1814 – Rev.Dr. Henry Wight*
For all inquiries email: info@july4thbristolri.com
​
Contact Us
Bristol 4th of July Committee
General Chairman: Camille Teixeira​
Email: chairman@july4thbristolri.com
General Inquiries
Email: info@july4thbristolri.com
​
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 561
Bristol, RI 02809