Haverhill’s first Pride Parade kicks off the Fifth Annual June Art Walk this Saturday.

Art Walk runs in downtown Haverhill on Washington and Wingate Streets, between Washington Square and Railroad Square. As WHAV has reported, it will be proceeded by the annual Pride Flag raising at Haverhill City Hall at 12:30 p.m. The Pride Parade will then form across the street at the Grand Army of the Republic Park and step off at 1:30 p.m., down Bailey Boulevard to Emerson Street and then into Washington Square.

Downtown Events Coordinator Hailey Pearson, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win For Breakfast” program, discussed various artists and performers who are part of this year’s Art Walk.

“We are really excited to be incorporating the first Pride Parade to kick off Art Walk this year. So, it has been about a year in the making from the time that we starting talking about this idea of bringing in a parade and it has just been an incredible experience to witness the support from the community, the people who came together to really make this happen.”

The Haverhill Art Walk, which is a project of Creative Haverhill, is bigger than ever, Pearson said. The free event will run Saturday, June 7, from 2-6 p.m., rain or shine.

“We’re going to have over a dozen businesses participating in activities so everything from live music to family-friendly interactive activities in both Railroad Square, the Columbia Park area to Washington Square. So those squares bookend the activities,” Pearson said.

She added a Pride Resource Fair will be set up at the top of Wingate Street.

“We’ve got our Alley Art Market in the alleyways along Washington Street. We’ve got Punctuate4. That’s a theater group that is hosting the “Abolitionist’s Refrain.” So that’s a theater performance in the empty space at 90 Washington St. We really love utilizing these vacant storefronts to show people what could be and invite people to step into these spaces that are transformed for the weekend,” Pearson added.

Performances of the Abolitionist’s Refrain are at 3 and 5 p.m. The play, written by Michael Cormier, features Haverhill native John Greenleaf Whittier as he comes to terms with what freeing of slaves following the Civil War means to a divided nation and the new challenges the 13th amendment to the U.S. Constitution brings. The River Bards, a local group of poets, will be reading the works of Whittier. Yankee Clipper Tours will offer cruises down the Merrimack River and the staff from the Buttonwoods Museum will lead a “Pentucket on the Merrimack walking tour.

Live music performers include Fake Leather Jacket, Liz Bills and The Change and The Party Band. The Irise Dance Program from Lawrence will present a dynamic performance that includes an interactive drumming session.

Family-friendly art projects include masking making, rock painting and zine making.

The Museum of Printing is offering hands-on screen printing and the Haverhill Studio will offer complimentary portraits.

Pearson said there is still a need for volunteers. Those interested may visit CreativeHaverhill.org or email Pearson at HaverhillArtWalk@gmail.com.

Besides WHAV.net, WHAV’s “Merrimack Valley Newsmakers” podcasts are available on your favorite platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, iHeart,

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Beginning in July the frequency of bus service between Haverhill, Lawrence, Methuen and Lowell will increase during the week.

Merrimack Valley Transit, or MeVA Administrator Noah S. Berger, a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast program,” said beginning Monday, July 7, the bus will run every 20 minutes. Currently, service is provided every 30 minutes to Methuen, Lawrence and Lowell from its hub in Washington Square, Haverhill. Berger said he is excited for the service improvement.

“Frequency makes all the difference. You don’t have to fumble through a schedule to figure out when the next bus is. You just literally go out to where the bus is and know that at the very worst you will have to wait 19 minutes, but most of time it will probably be five or 10 minutes,” Berger said.

As reported by WHAV in December 2024, the increased service is made possible through at $1.2 million “connectivity” grant the transit authority received from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. The bus, which originates as Route 1 in Haverhill, makes one more stop at Lowell and River Streets and then four stops in Methuen before arriving at the McGovern Transportation Center in Lawrence 45 minutes later. The bus then becomes Route 24 and proceeds to Lowell which takes about 40 minutes. It then makes the return trip.

“What that does is tie the four gateway cities of Haverhill, Methuen, Lawrence and Lowell together with really robust service so we couldn’t be more excited,” Berger added.

Berger said Route 24 has the second highest ridership of all the routes in the system.

Berger also said four new “low floor” 12-passenger vans will go into service this month as part of MeVa’s on-demand service. The low floor design allows those who use mobility devices such as wheelchairs and scooters to roll right onto the van rather than having to negotiate steps. The design accommodates strollers as well. Five more vans will be added to the fleet in July allowing the transit authority to remove older vans from service. Then an additional six will arrive next year.

Finally, Berger asked for the public’s help in finding a new location for MeVa’s bus hub. He pointed out Haverhill’s hub in Washington Square has never worked well because the site is too small to accommodate buses and passengers comfortably.

Berger said he is working with the city to find a location, and that two possibilities are Bailey Boulevard near the Haverhill Police Station and the Granite Street garage the transit authority already owns.

“It’s got to be a central location. It has got to have enough space for the buses and enough space to have that welcoming environment for passengers.” Berger said.

Berger said that while there is no timeframe associated with the hub relocation, he believes with the various redevelopment projects going on in downtown Haverhill, the time is ripe for finding a better, more welcoming location for a new central bus depot.

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If state Rep. Ryan M. Hamilton has his way four local groups will receive $375,000 in earmarked grants in the next state budget.

Hamilton, whose district includes parts of Haverhill and Methuen, was a recent guest on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast.” Hamilton told listeners he has been successful in adding money for Creative Haverhill, Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, Historic New England and Methuen’s 300th birthday celebration.

“I was able to secure four earmarks—one being for the Cogswell Art Center. It has been a recurring one for me and something I care about very much. Creative Haverhill is doing a great job when it comes to restoring Cogswell and its eventually going to turn it into one of the premier art installations in the Merrimack Valley if not the Commonwealth,” Hamilton said.

If the funding holds, Creative Haverhill would get $50,000; Greater Haverhill Chamber, $25,000; and Historic New England $200,000. The Methuen Tricentennial Celebration would receive $50,000.

Hamilton said the potential grant for Historic New England is significant as the nonprofit seeks to renovate its 151 Essex St.building into a tourist attraction for the region.

“My friends at Historic New England who, as we know, are trying to pursue a project that is going to once again transform the downtown for the better and really connect the entirety of downtown together which I am extremely excited for.”

Historic New England was also the recipient of the legislature’s generosity during the last two years.

Hamilton said the Methuen Birthday Celebration Committee is planning a series of large and small events beginning in December 2025 through June 2026. The celebration marks the anniversary of Methuen’s separation from Haverhill and its incorporation on Dec. 8, 1725.

The budgeting process now moves to the Senate for debate. Then, the House and Senate must reconcile their spending plans before a final budget proposal is sent to the governor.

The new state budget would go into effect July 1.

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