Forefathers' Day is a

holiday A holiday is a day or other period of time set aside for festivals or recreation. ''Public holidays'' are set by public authorities and vary by state or region. Religious holidays are set by religious organisations for their members and are often ...

celebrated in

Plymouth, Massachusetts Plymouth ( ; historically also spelled as Plimouth and Plimoth) is a town in and the county seat of Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. Located in Greater Boston, the town holds a place of great prominence in American history, folklor ...

, on December 22. It is a commemoration of the landing of the

Pilgrim Fathers The Pilgrims, also known as the Pilgrim Fathers, were the English settlers who travelled to North America on the ship ''Mayflower'' and established the Plymouth Colony at what now is Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States. John Smith had named ...

in Plymouth, Massachusetts, on December 21, 1620. It was introduced in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1769. Forefathers Day' is celebrated every year by the Old Colony Club, established in 1769 "to honor the forefathers". The celebration begins at 6:00 AM with a march by members to the top of Cole's Hill next to Massasoit's statue, followed by a reading of a proclamation honoring the forefathers and a ritual firing of the club's cannon. The Old Colony Club and the Mayflower Society both include a

succotash Succotash is a North American vegetable dish consisting primarily of sweet corn with lima beans or other shell beans. The name ''succotash'' is derived from the Narragansett word , which means "broken corn kernels". Other ingredients may be add ...

dinner as part of their celebration. Sauquetash was recorded as a part of the first Thanksgiving. Unlike later versions of succotash, in Plymouth succotash is served as a broth containing large pieces of fowl and meat that are sliced at the table. When the 22nd falls on a Sunday, the Old Colony Club celebrates Forefathers Day' on the following Monday. There is some good-hearted dispute between the Old Colony Club and the Mayflower Society. The simple fact of the celebration falling on separate days permits members of both societies to participate in both celebrations. In adjusting the date to the

Gregorian calendar The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It went into effect in October 1582 following the papal bull issued by Pope Gregory XIII, which introduced it as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian cale ...

, the anniversary was erroneously established on December 22 instead of December 21.Marden, Orison Swett and Devitt, George Raywood
''Home Lover's Library Part 13''
Kessinger Publishing, 2003: 97.

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Public holidays in the United States December observances Plymouth, Massachusetts Massachusetts culture {{US-history-stub