July 4th Pops concert canceled; COVID-19 deaths top 4,700

BOSTON (AP) — Boston’s live Fourth of July concert with the Boston Pops with along the banks of the Charles River has been canceled to help limit the spread of the coronanirus.

The Pops announced Friday they will instead present A Boston Pops Salute to Our Heroes, designed to pay tribute to the frontline workers and honor those who have died during the current health crisis.

The virtual concert will feature newly created content from The Boston Pops and guest artists, as well as highlights from recent presentations of The Boston Pops fireworks spectacular.

“All of us at the Boston Pops are pleased to have this opportunity to pay tribute to the many and various frontline workers who have been the glue holding our communities together since this health crisis began, and to honor those who have lost their lives due to the coronavirus,” said conductor Keith Lockhart

The fireworks display that traditionally accompanies the concert has also been canceled.

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said Friday during a press conference that other traditional parades and festivals will not take place in the city this summer up to and including Labor Day.

“We do not envision at this point, this summer, when it will make sense to have large scale crowds gathered in close contact for any prolonged periods of time," Walsh said.

Gov. Charlie Baker said he understood Walsh's decision.

“It would be hard for me to imagine given how popular those parades are, how you could ever deliver on a social distancing standard,” Baker said.

Here are the latest coronavirus-developments in Massachusetts:

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COVID-19 UPDATE

Massachusetts recorded another 150 confirmed COVID-19-related deaths on Friday, bringing to 4,702 the total number of deaths recorded in the state since the pandemic’s start.

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