From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for July 5, 1987:

By all accounts, the previous day’s celebration of our nation’s birthday had been a success in Lawrence. Ominous skies had worried many residents during the day, but in the end, the clouds did only good work, keeping the sun from becoming too scorching and yet holding back their rain for a more convenient time. In a morning parade on Massachusetts Street, an estimated 3,500 people had cheered for children on bicycles and adults in antique cars, as well as a precision shopping-cart drill team. Later, an estimated 12,500 people swarmed Burcham Park for another day of food, music, games, and crafts. The Lawrence Symphony Orchestra had helped usher in the big fireworks display at dusk. Elsewhere in the U.S., Independence Day celebrations included parades, picnics, bell-ringing, festivals, and fireworks. The USS Constitution, “Old Ironsides,” had taken her annual tour around Boston Harbor; the Abraham Lincoln face on Mount Rushmore celebrated its 50th anniversary; the Boston Pops gave their annual concert and fireworks show along the Charles River; and a “welcome home” concert for Vietnam veterans was held near the nation’s capital.