A two-day celebration is underway in Plymouth, Massachusetts, to commemorate 400 years since the Mayflower voyage and founding of the Plymouth colony.
Festivities kicked off on Saturday with a special ceremony at 10 a.m. and capped off the day at 7 p.m. with a lighted boat parade in the harbor.
British Ambassador to the U.S., Dame Karen Pierce, helped start the festivities.
"It was a very important event that fundamentally launched America, of course," Pierce said.
Get Boston local news, weather forecasts, lifestyle and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Boston’s newsletters.
Throughout the day Saturday, visitors boarded several different ships including a Coast Guard Cutter and a NOAA research vessel. Family-friendly events are intended to be an educational experience about the history of the Mayflower, Plymouth, and the Wampanoag Tribe.
Marlene Lopez, a member of the Wampanoag Tribe, was present Saturday.
"We don’t dress in a certain way for show," she said. "We don’t dress for show. We are who we are."
The actual 400th anniversary fell in 2020, but the coronavirus pandemic forced organizers to postpone festivities to this year.
"The pandemic has been tough on everyone and we think it’s just great to get people back out again," said Steve Mattern, captain of the New Plymouth Guard.
All events are free to the public. NBC10 Boston is a sponsor.
Organizers did not include food trucks in the area with events, in hopes that people will visit the local restaurants.
