Mark your calendars for one of Newtown Square’s most anticipated traditions of the year — especially the coming Fourth of July marks a truly historic milestone: the 250th birthday of the United States. Next month, thousands will gather once again along the route of the Marple Newtown 4th of July Parade to celebrate not just another Independence Day, but America’s Semiquincentennial. It’s a tradition my family never misses, and like so many others, we claim our favorite spot along West Chester Pike to cheer, celebrate and soak in a patriotic dose of hometown pride.
The parade steps off at 10am on July 4th, but the excitement begins even earlier. Spectators can start the day by cheering on participants in the Broomall Rotary’s Firecracker 5K, which takes place along the westbound lanes of West Chester Pike just before the parade. While the 5K is a newer addition, the Broomall Rotary has been hosting community events since 1961, raising funds for local service projects and scholarships. For more details about the race, visit Firecracker5KRun.com.
This annual celebration is made possible by the Marple Newtown Parade Committee, which has spent more than four decades bringing the community together. Made up of dedicated members from local organizations and businesses, the committee works tirelessly to ensure the parade’s success. Sponsorships help cover everything from parade entertainment to traffic safety and post-event cleanup — so that after the festivities, we can all head off to our barbecues and swim clubs without a second thought.
Events like these — and the organizations behind them — rely on the support of local Sponsors. Their contributions make it possible to host meaningful community gatherings while also supporting important initiatives throughout the year. That’s why it’s so important to recognize and support the businesses that invest in our town, especially during a year as significant as our nation’s 250th celebration.
As you celebrate this historic Fourth of July, take note of the individuals and organizations working behind the scenes that are Bringing People Together, and then tell us about them or consider this my invitation for you to be a guest writer of a feature I’ll publish in a future issue of Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors magazine in print and also available online at NewtownSquareMag.com. Show your appreciation by supporting the Sponsors who help make it all possible. That’s what it means to be a Reader Leader—and it’s how we keep our community strong while honoring 250 years of American independence.