As we march toward July Fourth, you may start hearing more and more about America’s birthday.

What folks mean by that is that this year marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which, technically speaking, was the birth of our nation.

The Providence Journal has presented stories all year about the state’s history, its role in the founding of America and its plans for celebrating this momentous occasion.

What makes this July 4 different

Across the country, and even here in Rhode Island, celebrations are planned not just for July Fourth, but throughout the year. As well, we at The Providence Journal have taken the opportunity to look at important moments in our Revolutionary War history, but also − since this semiquincentennial offers an opportunity to show our pride − we are taking a look at the many things that make Rhode Island special: legacy companies, quirks and traditions, watershed moments and more.

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Where to celebrate with parades

Bristol presents the granddaddy of them all: America’s oldest continuous Fourth of July parade steps off July 4 at 10:30 a.m. from the corner of Chestnut Street and Hope Street (Route 114) and ends on High Street, between State Street and Bradford Street.

But the parade is just the culmination of weeks worth of celebrating that includes concerts, fireworks, a carnival and more.

According to the town, the official and historic Celebration, Patriotic Exercises, was established in 1785 by the Rev. Henry Wight of the First Congregational Church and veteran of the Revolutionary War. The celebration officially starts with Flag Day on June 14. To learn more about the townwide celebration, visit www.fourthofjulybristolri.com.

How to celebrate with fireworks

Bristol: Fireworks show will be over Bristol Harbor on Friday, July 3, starting at 9:30 p.m.

Newport: Fireworks begin at 9:15 p.m. on July 4. Fort Adams offers an evening of live music, family fun, and one of the best views of Newport’s fireworks over the harbor. Food trucks will be on site, and guests are welcome to bring picnics, blankets, and lawn chairs. Bouncy houses and lawn games will be available for all ages. Admission is free, but registration is required for access to the parade field and on-site parking.

North Kingstown: Music and fireworks are once again on tap at North Kingstown’s annual Independence Day celebration, set this year for Saturday, July 4. The Lafayette Band will present a free concert beginning at 7 p.m., at the North Kingstown Town Beach, 15 Beach St., Wickford. Music director Charles Johnson will conduct a program of patriotic and popular music. The town’s traditional fireworks display will follow, beginning at approximately 9 p.m. Audience members are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets for seating. In case of rain, the concert and fireworks would be postponed to Monday, July 6. Check for updates posted on www.northkingstownri.gov, www.lafayettebandri.org, and www.facebook.com/LafayetteBand.RI.

Pawtucket: RIFC will play Orange County SC on July 4 at 7:30 p.m. at Centerville Bank Stadium, with a special Independence Day fireworks show after.

South Kingstown: The annual Fourth of July celebration takes place Saturday, July 4, from 5 to 10 p.m. at Old Mountain Field, 831 Kingstown Road in Wakefield. This family-friendly community event includes live entertainment, local food, family activities and a spectacular fireworks display. For additional information and event updates related to weather, residents are encouraged to visit theTown’s website at www.southkingstownri.gov and follow the Town of South Kingstown on socialmedia.

What makes celebrating in RI uniquely American?

During this season of celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Rhode Island stands out, along with the other original 13 colonies. What makes Rhode Island so special? In a word, history. And here are some of the best places for a refresher course on the Ocean State’s role in the founding of this country.

Benefit Street in Providence offers visitors so much more than a pleasant stroll down a historic road filled with colorful homes and historical architecture. The street is “renowned not only for its Colonial and Early Federal buildings, but also for its mix of later 19th- and 20th-century buildings. Important civic, cultural, and religious institutions, mingled with private residences, add diversity and vitality to the neighborhood,” according to the Providence Preservation Society’s Guide to Benefit Street.  

Built in 1793 by Samuel Slater, Slater Mill was the first successful water-powered cotton-spinning mill in America, and is therefore credited with being the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution. Now called Old Slater Mill, the mill offers guided tours on Fridays and Saturdays during the spring, and expanding to Thursdays through Sundays in the summer. In 1920, the mill was restored to its 1830 condition.

Coggeshall Farm in Bristol recreates the daily experience of tenant farmers on a salt marsh farm in the late 18th century. Interpreters in period dress (clothing is made by the costumers at Old Sturbridge Village, its partner museum) give demonstrations in sheep shearing, weaving, maple sugaring and cooking according to 18th-century recipes in the 1790s farmhouse, which is original to the site. Visitors will see the wood shop, the blacksmith shop, the 18th-century garden, farm animals and the 1790s farmhouse, complete with spinning wheels and burning hearth (spoiler alert: It’s a lot smaller and more rustic than modern-day folks are used to).

Fort Barton is a Revolutionary War redoubt − you can even see the original earthen fortifications. On at least two occasions in 1777 and 1778, American forces gathered here in the thousands in attempts to upend the British occupation. Located atop a hill overlooking a narrow sea passage separating Tiverton from Aquidneck Island, it provided a strategic location for artillery positions to prevent the British from crossing over from the island. American colonists watched the British troops on Aquidneck Island from Fort Barton in 1778, as they prepared for the Battle of Rhode Island. Nearly 11,000 troops staged here in August 1778, to cross Sakonnet Passage and drive the British out of Newport. Among the militia and troops to gather here were John Hancock, Paul Revere, Major-General Nathanael Greene, and Marquis d’Lafayette. The British occupation ended after the Battle of Rhode Island on Aug. 29, 1778 − the last significant battle in the north.

Nathanael Greene Homestead, 50 Taft St., Coventry. Nathanael Greene was second in command (to George Washington) of the Continental Army. While helping run his father’s Coventry mill − a huge foundry complex, with seven waterwheels, seven forges and three trip hammers, and 100 workers − Greene studied military affairs on his own and was one of a few Rhode Islanders rushing to Lexington and Concord after the first battle of the Revolution broke out there. Soon after, the General Assembly mustered a 1,600-man Rhode Island regiment and named Greene its commander. Greene was soon leading armies throughout the Colonies, ultimately heading to rescue a faltering effort in the critical southern theater. The Greene Homestead is a 14-room, 2½-story house built in 1770 that Greene referred to as Spell Hall in his letters. Besides the library, the first floor of the house includes a dining room, parlor and kitchen, each having a paneled fireplace. The bedrooms were on the second floor, off a central hallway. Four enslaved people worked as servants in the house. The 50-acre property, with 3,000 feet of frontage on the Pawtuxet River, is private, but the public is allowed to hike through the fields and on a network of paths.

Jamestown Windmill, which dates back to 1787, is both a windmill (powered by wind) and a gristmill (it ground grain). Owned and maintained by the Jamestown Historical Society, the windmill is open from 1 to 4 p.m. every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays through Oct. 12, 2026, weather permitting, or by appointment. But when it’s open, you do get to climb to the top, catch a stunning view from the upper windows and see how the gears and grinding actually worked. You can see displays of what the corn and cornmeal looked like. You get to touch a “sail” (that’s the material that goes on the big, turning arms of the windmill). There are plenty of old photos (one even shows the mill in 1890) and a model of the windmill. As part of the celebration of America’s 250th, Windmill Day will be held July 25, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visitors will be able to watch the windmill turn with the sails on; take tours; play games such as cornhole and quoits, roll hoops, or walk with stilts; enjoy Rhode Island jonnycakes and lemonade as well as food trucks; and listen to live music. Admission is free; the Jamestown Windmill is located at 378 North Road.

The Rhode Island places everyone should see 

The Cliff Walk is a 3.5-mile path of varying character, from wooded trail above the waves to skirting the lawns of Gilded Age mansions to scrambling across the rocky cliffs themselves. It can be taken in small chunks or the entire length can be walked, though a short section that collapsed into the sea requires a one-block detour on the edge of the Salve Regina University campus. How to get there: The Cliff Walk is not a single place, but a 3.5 mile path with more than half a dozen entrances along the route. For full details, including advice on where to park, consult the official website at https://www.discovernewport.org/things-to-do/cliff-walk.

But in a statement Monday, committee First Vice Chair Lisa Beaulieu said that while the committee respects McKee’s years of public service, “Many members felt Rhode Island needs a change in leadership and a renewed sense of urgency.”

McKee’s administration has been castigated over the closure of the Washington Bridge westbound in December 2023. Last week, McKee held a news conference to announce that construction of a brand new bridge has begun.

Beaulieu said, “Recent controversies and challenges facing state government have only reinforced our members’ belief that Rhode Island needs new leadership and a greater sense of urgency. We believe Helena Foulkes is the candidate best prepared to meet this moment and help put Rhode Island on a stronger path for the future.”

The Cumberland Democratic Town Committee voted 30 to 11 to back Foulkes over McKee, who served as mayor of Cumberland from 2007 to 2015 and from 2001 to 2005. He also served on the Cumberland Town Council from 1992 to 2000.

“Helena Foulkes earned overwhelming support from our committee because she has demonstrated the leadership qualities we are looking for in our next governor,” Beaulieu said. “She understands that Rhode Islanders expect more than promises — they expect progress.“

The McKee campaign has attacked Foulkes’ record as a former CVS executive, saying she bears responsibility for the opioid crisis.

Beaulieu said, “Whether it’s strengthening our economy, improving public services, addressing infrastructure challenges, or making Rhode Island more competitive, Helena has shown she has both the experience and the drive to move our state forward.”

The committee took its endorsement responsibility seriously, Beaulieu said. “Our members carefully considered who is best equipped to lead Rhode Island through the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead,” she said.

Foulkes issued a statement saying, “I hear from Rhode Islanders all the time about how they feel like the state government isn’t working for them and how eager they are for change. The Cumberland Democratic Town Committee’s endorsement is a telling rejection of the status quo.”

The McKee campaign declined to comment Monday night.

The winner of the Sept. 9 Democratic gubernatorial primary, which also involves Gregory Stevens, will face independent candidate Ken Block and the winner of a Republican primary involving Aaron Guckian, Elaine Pelino, and Robert Raimondo.

The Cumberland Democratic Town Committee endorsed Newport City Councilman Xay Khamsyvoravong over Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos, former state senator Cynthia “Cindy” Coyne, and Providence Councilwoman Sue AnderBois in another Democratic primary. The winner will face former Republican state representative John J. Loughlin II.

The committee endorsed Keith Hoffmann, former chief of policy and senior counsel in the attorney general’s office, for state attorney general in a Democratic primary that also includes state Representative Jason Knight, Representative Joseph J. Solomon Jr., and former state Cannabis Control Commission chairperson Kim Ahern.

The committee endorsed US Senator Jack Reed, US Congressman Gabe Amo, Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore, and General Treasurer James A. Diossa. The committee also endorsed state Senators Ryan W. Pearson, Brian Thompson and state Representatives Mia A. Ackerman, Brandon Voas, Alex Marszalkowski, and Robert D. Phillips.

Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at edward.fitzpatrick@globe.com. Follow him @FitzProv.

(WJAR) — The first season of the Real Housewives of Rhode Island has officially wrapped.

Now, fans of the franchise will look forward to the two- part reunion, and the filming of season two.

The first season featured a variety of Rhode Island businesses and locations, creating national exposure for the state.

According to NBCUniversal, the series reached 2.7 million viewers across platforms within its first 7 days, breaking records.

“One big theme this season is seeing how beautiful Rhode island is,” said 92 Pro FM’s and Real Talk Rhody’s, Bekah Berger.

“People are engaged, people are watching, and the people who aren’t, that’s fine,” she said.

Whether you’re a fan or not, there’s no denying the show has put eyes on Rhode Island and the local businesses featured on the show.

The owner and CEO of Rail Explorers in Portsmouth told NBC 10 she saw an 860% increase in traffic on their website and a 64% increase in sales the week after the episode the business was featured on aired.

The production of the show also aided in Rhode Island success, by contributing directly to Rhode Island’s film and TV ecosystem through local hiring, use of vendors, and production activity in the state.

Rhode Island staples even got their five minutes of fame.

“The pizza chip and pizza strip were like its own housewife in itself,” said Berger.

DePetrillo’s Pizza owner, Jordan Smith, said more people are inquiring about pizza chips.

“Especially out of state, when the graduations were recently, more Connecticut, New York people were stopping in and figuring out what it was about,” said Smith.

DePetrillos Pizza owner, Jordan Smith, says he’s seen more selfies with pizza chips and strips than ever before.

He said he’s seen more customers taking photos of their pizza chips and tagging the business when they post it.

From pizza to police, Bravo included it all.

Closing out season one was a clip from our NBC 10 newscast reporting on the arrest of Brian Pontarelli after he was accused of placing an electronic tracking device on his wife, Rulla’s car.

The first part of the reunion will air Sunday.

Filming for season two is scheduled to begin in July.