Philadelphia Welcome America Festival
| Philadelphia Welcome America Festival | |
|---|---|
| File:Wawa Welcome America.PNG | |
| Genre | Holiday, Parade |
| Presented by | Rick Williams Cecily Tynan |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of episodes | 2 (As of 4 July 2011[update]) |
| Production | |
| Running time | 22 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | 6abc |
| Release | July 4, 2010 – present |
| Related | |
| 6abc IKEA Thanksgiving Day Parade | |
Welcome America! is Philadelphia’s free 4th of July celebration, showcasing all that America’s birthplace has to offer. Our title sponsor, Wawa Inc. joined the festival in 2010 giving it the name Wawa Welcome America!
Visitors can look forward to the great food, history, entertainment, and fun they have come to expect from this “uniquely Philadelphia” celebration of the birth of our nation. There is something special for residents, visitors, teens, grandparents, and everyone in between.
While most are familiar with our Fourth of July concert and its place as the “Largest Free Concert in America,” there is an entire week of other free activities to enjoy. If that isn’t enough to get you in a patriotic spirit, our two spectacular fireworks displays will give you chills as they light up Philadelphia’s night skies.
Events
Our largest gatherings throughout the week are Taste of Philadelphia, Party on the Parkway and the Philly 4th of July Jam and Fireworks.
Taste of Philadelphia is Wawa Welcome America!’s signature culinary event, where for three days Philadelphia area restaurateurs gather at Penn’s Landing waterfront to showcase samples of their signature dishes. In 2011, Taste of Philadelphia expanded its footprint to occupy the Chestnut Street Bridge and Front Street. This addition featured Philadelphia’s trendiest food trucks and a second entertainment stage. Throughout the three days, more than 120,000 patrons visited Penn’s Landing, with the Saturday night free concert and fireworks drawing in the largest crowds. After the success of our 2011 expansion, we plan to increase our footprint even more in 2012 in order to provide our growing audience with more food options and free entertainment.
Following Taste of Philadelphia we move up the street on the morning of July 4th to honor our great nation during the Celebration of Freedom Ceremony. Mayor Michael A. Nutter is joined by other business and civic leaders as spectators recognize and celebrate our freedom as a nation. This event serves as Philadelphia and the region’s official Independence Day Ceremony. Many of the Wawa Welcome America! Festival supporters and sponsors participate in the patriotic morning program. Last year’s ceremony gathered over 5,000 participants. Following the Celebration of Freedom Ceremony is the Independence Day Parade where over 3,500 patriotic and multicultural marchers, musicians, dancers and floats congregate throughout Philadelphia’s most historic square mile. This Patriotic pageant of Americana, cultural diversity, and history will surely set the standard for patriotic parades. In 2011, the parade route expanded to 9th street and attracted over 75,000 viewers.
The free family fun continues after our patriotic Celebration of Freedom and Independence Day Parade with our Party on the Parkway and Philly 4th of July Jam and Fireworks on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
Activities, games, displays, multiple music stages, and of course, great food will adorn the Parkway from Eakins’s Oval to 22nd Street. It’s the largest block party in Philadelphia. During the course of the day more than 600,000 people visit us on our Parkway. The Party on the Parkway comes to a spectacular close with our Philly 4th of July Jam featuring top-notch entertainment and an awe-inspiring Fireworks finale over the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Aside from these three signature events, we have an entire week of other free activities leading up to our July 4th finale.
Parents and children are invited to join us at various locations around the city for our Go 4th and Learn series. This kids driven series captures the minds and imaginations of children with programming incorporating a variety of different educational themes such as history, science, and performance art. Families can also enjoy the Go 4th and Learn area on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway during Party on the Parkway, July 4th.
When the sun goes down, our big movies screens go up to provide entertainment under the stars. Visitors can enjoy a picnic and a movie in some of Philadelphia’s most legendary locations like the steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Love Park and Rittenhouse Square.
The Wawa Welcome America! Festival offers plenty of activities and excitement to make all 10 days unforgettable. Don’t miss your chance to celebrate America’s independence with the Wawa Welcome America! Festival in the most fitting location: Philadelphia, America’s birthplace.
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References
External links
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