July 6, 2022 By Holly Moriarty
The newly formed Hingham Arts Alliance (HAA) entered its first ever float in Hingham’s Fourth of July Parade, themed “ART History Happens Here! Hingham Arts Alliance Presents Hingham Arts: Past, Present, Future.” The Fourth of July Parade Committee recognized HAA’s float with the “Most Beautiful” award.
“We were thrilled to celebrate Hingham's own past, present, and future artists in our treasured Fourth of July parade. A special thank you to all those who collaborated and participated in our inaugural float,” said Yvette Kanter, co-founder of the nonprofit Hingham Arts Alliance.
The float featured original artwork by Dorothy Palmer, a beloved Hingham artist who passed away in 2021 at the age of 93. The float showcased the internationally acclaimed artist’s vibrant paintings, notably her colorful floral compositions. Dorothy’s granddaughters, Lilianna and Juliette Palmer, accompanied her artwork on the float.
Another local artist, Jill Powell of Main Street Studios and one of her sculpting students Maya Holbrook, created pottery on the HAA float during the parade.
Members of the Hingham High School Drama Club led the way as the float traveled down Main Street, carrying the HAA banner and promoting their fall musical, The Music Man. Dancers from the South Shore Ballet Theatre and Project31 Dance Studio performed alongside the float. Hingham Public School musicians with their instruments rounded out the group of Hingham artists.
“I feel very strongly about the value of community,” said Ann Marie Schembri, co-founder of the Hingham Arts Alliance. “That’s part of why the Arts Alliance is so important to me personally: the arts build community. And, there’s no time of year when our community spirit as a town shines more than on the Fourth of July, so naturally we were excited to be a part of it.”
