This year’s Fourth of July will be, without a doubt, huge. There’s going to be grilling, sparklers, and a whole lot of red, white, and blue. If you’re looking for ways to celebrate America’s birthday this year, the options are limitless.
We all know that Philly is the best place to celebrate the Fourth of July. But with all the awesomely American activities taking place in the City of Brotherly Love, it can be difficult to narrow your options. Well, thankfully the city’s—nay, the country’s—most patriotic festival, the Wawa Welcome America Independence Day Celebration, is packed full of all your favorite American activities.
What are they, you inquire? Well, let’s take a look at some of them right now. (And while you’re at it, refresh your memory on the best places to park during Welcome America here.)
If there’s one way to celebrate America the Philly way, it’s with a hoagie. On Thursday, June 30 at noon, you can join Wawa for a 5-ton hoagie salute in honor of our military, fire, and police on the Independence Visitor’s Center Lawn. This is what we like to call an MAE, or a “Must-Attend-Event.” We all know how amazing Wawa’s hoagies are, so make sure you get a piece of that five-ton hoagie!
Historic Philadelphia Block Party
If there isn’t a block party, it isn’t really the Fourth of July, is it? On Sunday, July 3 (also known as Independence Day Eve) from 1 to 8 p.m., there will be the most American block party you’ve ever attended, the Historic Philadelphia Block Party, featuring music, food, and fun activities across from Independence Hall.
Celebration of Freedom Ceremony
You gotta get a little music into your America jam, right? On Monday, July 4 (also known as the 4th of July) you can join Everyday Heroes at Independence Hall with patriotic musical performances, inspiring speeches, and a celebrity reading of the Declaration of Independence, read by none other than Philadelphia’s own Leslie Odom, Jr., who is best known for brilliantly playing Aaron Burr in the hot new patriotic Broadway Musical, Hamilton.
Duh, you knew there’d be a parade to attend on the Fourth of July. At 11 a.m. on Independence Day, you can check out the patriotic parade traveling through Historic Philadelphia. You’ll see people marching, bands playing, flags waving, you know, parade stuff. It’ll be a blast!
Now this is the right way to celebrate the Fourth of July, with the largest, free, outdoor concert event in America. From noon to late in the night, Philadelphia’s Benjamin Franklin Parkway will be filled with music, food, vendors, activities for the whole family, and a whole lot of patriotism. If you want to see how Philly really celebrates the Fourth of July, you better get down to the Parkway for one heck of an American celebration.
Fireworks!
This is literally the best part about Independence Day: Fireworks. And Wawa Welcome America is giving us plenty of fireworks to go around. At Penn’s Landing, you’ll have two nights of colorful sky explosions on July 1 and July 2 at 9:30 p.m. And then, of course, there’s the big Fourth of July firework finale that is sure to blow you away (pun totally intended).
There you have it, my patriotic friends, there are the most awesomely American activities you can get into this Fourth of July. There’s only one way to celebrate Independence Day, and that’s the Philly way.