It’s hard to believe that the Fourth of July is right around the corner, but here we are nearing the end of June, and it’s time to make those barbecue and fireworks plans. Of course, the biggest event going down in Boston surrounding July 4th is the Boston Pops July 4th Fireworks Spectacular, and as usual, we can expect quite the show.

Announced today, the 41st Annual Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular will feature legendary band The Beach Boys, performing at the DCR Memorial Hatch Shell on the Esplanade. Good vibrations, am I right? One can only hope that John Stamos, aka Jesse Katsopolis, will be bangin’ it out on the drums. In addition to The Beach Boys, Broadway singer Megan Hilty, the principle cast of ‘Phantom of the Opera,’ the Boston Children’s Chorus and of course, the Boston Pops, led by Conductor Keith Lockhart, will take the stage throughout the evening. The Spectacular, this year, will be hosted by Jonathan Elias and Lisa Hughes of WBZ-TV, and the show will be aired locally from 8 to 11 p.m. on WBZ-TV for the twelfth year in a row.

Last year, people across the country spoke out in strife when it was announced that the nationwide broadcast of the Spectacular would be yanked from CBS after more than 20 years. While the exact reasoning for this change wasn’t specified at the time, it was speculated that Boston’s July 4th showcase couldn’t stand up to the ratings of the Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks show, which coincided with Boston’s broadcast, on NBC.

This year, despite a public outcry, the broadcast won’t return to CBS; however, those who mourned the loss of the on-air showing can tune in instead to the first-ever online webcast, sponsored by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism. The show will air online on both the CBS Boston and the Boston Pops’ July 4th websites.

Tradition will continue in the form of the 1812 Overture on the Esplanade, featuring live cannons, and a rendition of Stars and Stripes Forever, which will include the iconic blast of confetti. And of course, the evening will end in a fireworks display over the Charles River.

So if you were on the fence about visiting the Hatch Shell for July 4th, you know have The Beach Boys to convince you. Not in Boston or New England? Be sure to tune into the online webcast to see all the action on the Esplanade.

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