Marple Newtown’s Independence Day Parade Is Back!

LET'S CELEBRATE!

Our Community feature by Sheila Turner-Hilliard

Photos courtesy of Merrie Staurowsky

Time to get your lawn chairs and American flags ready because the Marple Newtown 4th of July Parade is back!

After an exceptionally long year of cancellations and closures, Marple Newtown residents will finally be able to celebrate our Country and our Freedom!

NOTE: The parade will take place on Monday July 5th, starting at 10am. (Rain Date: Saturday July 10th)

Because the 4th falls on a Sunday, the Parade Committee decided to delay the parade a day, out of respect for the churches along the parade route whose services would otherwise be interrupted.

The fun will begin at St. Albans Circle, and continue eastbound on West Chester Pike to the Broomall Fire Company’s new facility on Malin Rd.

The Marple Newtown 4th of July Parade has been a staple of our community for over 75 years. Jan Ceton, Chairman of the 4th of July Parade Committee, has been at the helm of the committee for 37 years. He loves watching generations of families come back every year, and is excited to welcome everyone back.

I think this year is going to be our best yet!” Jan said. “People are ready to get outside, celebrate and return to some sense of normalcy. We missed out on so many traditions in 2020, which makes our return extra special.

Although the parade was canceled last year, the committee worked hard to come up with a plan to unite our communities: They launched a Red, White and YOU! decorating contest for area residents and businesses. The turnout was overwhelming, with 59 entries. A caravan of judges toured the area and awarded prizes such as “Best Window,” “Most Patriotic” and “Hometown Heroes.”

A Red, White and YOU! Contest entry

We were so thrilled with the amazing support and feedback from our first Red, White and YOU! decorating contest," said Merrie Staurowsky, Parade Committee Vice Chair, "that we decided to keep it going in 2021 and beyond.

Spectators this year will be entertained by marching bands such as Mersey-British Rock Invasion and the Slim Jim & Big Guy Band. And new to the parade this year is the Whoa Phat Brass Band. Our local marching bands, fire companies and first responders will join in the fun. Local businesses, community clubs and neighborhood residents will impress you with their decorated floats, marching groups and costumed individuals. But the little ones often steal the show with their creative and festive decorated strollers, wagons, hand-drawn floats and bikes.

A popular feature added in 2019,” Jan said, “was a ‘Quiet Zone’ where sirens and loud music were silenced for one block. That will continue in 2021.

The parade ends with an awards ceremony, where medals and trophies are given to the top three entries in each division, and their names and photos are featured in the following year’s commemorative book.

Long-time Vice Chairman Rich Crowe is working with Leigh Ann Coary, who has taken over for the retired Dick Pound, on advertising for the 4th of July commemorative book that is distributed to over 4,000 residents and businesses. “This fabulous parade is funded entirely by the families and businesses in our community,” Leigh Ann explained. “Local businesses, civic organizations, clubs and individuals have the opportunity to place an ad to show their community support.” Leigh Ann said that there will also be an opportunity to donate during the parade’s bucket brigade. And new this year is 4th of July parade T-shirts that can be ordered online.

The Marple Newtown 4th of July Parade is a wonderful way of bringing our two communities together,” Jan Ceton said. “It has been a pleasure to serve on this committee from the very beginning. We couldn’t pull it off without the total support of both townships, the participants and the spectators.

For more information about the parade, visit their website at www.MarpleNewtownParade.com, and like their Facebook page at @MarpleNewtownFourthOfJulyParade.