June 5, 2025 By Carol Britton Meyer
The winners of “Hingham’s July 2 Drone Show Contest” — sponsored by the Harbor Development Committee in conjunction with the planned event that night at the bathing beach at dusk — have been announced.
Fourth-graders James and Matthew Canavan, who are twins, and first-grader Lily Shamberger — all students at Foster School — submitted the winning drawings and are beyond excited.
The HDC is partnering with Hingham Historical Society and the Lions Club to put on this spectacular family-friendly first-ever Hingham drone show, with generous underwriting support from the Mike Reilly Classic.
All interested Hingham Public Schools elementary students were invited to create and submit a line drawing or to use up to 300 dots to create an image with an easily recognizable connection to Hingham or United States history that could potentially be projected in the sky as part of the drone show that night.
Winning prize
The winning prize is a private meeting with the drone show company (www.hireuavpro.com) — and the Reilly family — who will show the winners and their families how the drones work in advance of the show on July 2, weather dependent.
The idea behind Lily’s drawing came after she read a story about Thomas Edison.
“When I asked Lily who or what she wanted to draw, she immediately responded ‘Thomas Edison!’ Reading about him prompted her appreciation for all of his many contributions to our society. According to Lily, without Thomas Edison, ‘We would not have light!'” her mother, Beth, shared with the Hingham Anchor.
Matthew and James Canavan’s mother, Malinda Braga, had this to say about the contest:
“We are forever grateful to the Hingham Harbor Development Committee in partnership with the Hingham Historical Society, the Hingham Lions Club, and the generous support from the Mike Reilly Classic for this amazing opportunity! Our wonderful Hingham community is very fortunate to have you. This spirit and unity truly depict what our nation was built on. We are honored and feel blessed to be a part of Hingham’s first-ever drone show in celebration of the Fourth of July! Thank you.”
James explained that he chose to draw a bald eagle “since it’s our nation’s symbol — representing strength, freedom, and courage! The American flag decorated wings show the patriotism of our free and powerful nation! We fought so hard for our freedom. It should be recognized, especially on the Fourth of July.”
He is looking forward to July 2. “It will be so exciting to see my artwork lit up in the sky for hundreds or thousands of people to see!”
The winners understand that while the Hingham drone show organizers have asked the drone company to incorporate the winning drawings into the show, “we can’t guarantee that they can program your drawings, but we’ve asked them to do their very best,” HDC Chair Marco Boer explained to the students.
Matthew decided to draw the Statue of Liberty “since it symbolizes freedom, hope, and the American dream! The American flag shows our nation’s unwavering strength and unity!”
‘It’s going to be really cool!’
He is looking forward to getting “an up-close view of the details on how drones actually work! It’s going to be really cool!”
The Mike Reilly Classic was established to celebrate the legacy of Michael D. Reilly, a lifelong Hingham resident who had a thirst for life and passed away as a young adult in 2019. The Mike Reilly Classic celebrates Mike’s life and supports scholarships to graduates of Saint Paul School in Hingham who exhibit a commitment to Catholic education.
Boer noted that in the case of inclement weather, the show will be postponed and likely rescheduled for either the Fall or for the next Fourth of July celebration in 2026 due to the scheduling logistics involving the drone company, food trucks, live bands, police details, and other considerations.
“However, for the last 20 fireworks displays, only one had to be rescheduled due to the weather,” Boer recalled.
Mike’s sister Nicki Disch shared with the Hingham Anchor the reasons behind her family’s generous contribution to the drone show through the Mike Reilly Classic.
“Mike had a big personality, so it’s no surprise that he loved a good fireworks show. When we were kids, we would always watch the fireworks from our dad’s boat, and when he was old enough, Mike would drive to New Hampshire and purchase massive amounts of fireworks to set off on Duxbury Beach,” Disch recalled.
‘We knew Mike would love this idea’
“We wanted to do something to honor Mike in the town that he loved and grew up in. When we learned a fireworks show wasn’t possible due to the [presence of] endangered birds, we worked with Hingham Historical Society to come up with a fun alternative:
Hingham’s first-ever drone show!” Disch explained. We know Mike would love this idea and all the festivities that will take place on July 2. Many of our family and friends will be there to celebrate Mike’s legacy as we continue to keep his memory alive in special ways like this drone show. We have donated proceeds from the Mike Reilly Classic golf tournament to support this memorable Hingham event and are extremely excited. We hope to see everyone on July 2!”
For more information about the drone show or to make a donation, go to https://www.hinghamanchor.com/hingham-celebrates-independence-day-and-americas-250th-with-a-drone-show-on-july-2/.