Tanglewood Prepares for James Taylor and July 4th

LENOX, Mass. — Tanglewood is gearing up for its July 4 concert and fireworks display, and people have already started lining up for their spot on the lawn for James Taylor’s first show Wednesday.

Visitors lined up for hours before the doors opened for another James Taylor concert.

Debbie Lysik has watched him play at Tanglewood for decades and is looking forward to another year with her family.

“We come every year. I’ve been coming since I was 16 with one of my best friends in our Volkswagen Beetle, and my husband and I are huge fans and we love it. It’s our highlight of the summer,” Lysik said.

Taylor’s July 3rd^rd This concert is special because it will mark 50 years since his first performance here. Tanglewood will honor him by presenting him with the Tanglewood Medal.

“To say that we are excited about James’ 50th birthday^th “That’s probably an understatement. It’s more of a feeling of immense gratitude and respect for what he brought,” said Anthony Fogg, vice president of artistic planning for the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Taylor’s July 4 show and fireworks will highlight a busy holiday week at the famed Lenox venue.

“The energy of this place on the Fourth of July is fantastic. In addition to the evening performance at 8 p.m. with James, we have shows on the lawn throughout the day, so it’s a great day for families and there’s plenty of food to eat. So it’s really a wonderful place for this important celebration,” Fogg said.

For those who can’t make it to the show, Tanglewood says they have a full summer of concerts, including Beck performing with the Boston Pops and Jurassic Park in Concert.