The Delaware River Waterfront Corporation and Wawa’s Welcome America celebrations are among the organizations providing a whole week of Independence Day festivities.
Before the 4th:
Ice Cream Festival
Come down to the Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing at the 15th Annual All-You-Can-Eat Ice Cream Festival on Saturday and Sunday, June 29 and 30, from 12 to 6 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the Joshua Kahan Fund to fight pediatric leukemia. Cost: $7. ••
Philly Orchestra free concert
The Philadelphia Orchestra returns for its sixth summer to the RiverStage at the Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing, on Tuesday, July 2 at 8 p.m. ••
4th of July festivities:
Wawa Welcome America
This year, Wawa’s Welcome America Independence Day celebration will kick off from 10 to 11 a.m. on the steps of Independence Hall at 6th and Chestnut streets.
Pay tribute to our great nation at this patriotic and inspiring morning, full of music, speeches and a reading of excerpts from the Declaration of Independence. ••
Parade through Historic Philadelphia
Then, from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., the annual parade takes freedom to the streets in the areas surrounding Independence Hall with over 5,000 participants from states across the nation, plus marching bands, floats and several special performing teams. ••
Let Freedom Ring at the bell
Festivities will return to Independence Square, at 5th and Market streets, from 1 to 2 p.m., where the ceremony will conclude with a symbolic tapping of the Liberty Bell. ••
Party on the Parkway
From noon to 7 p.m., stop by the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, between 20th Street and the Eakins Oval at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, for a block party featuring multiple music stages, food vendors, games and all-American food. ••
Free concert with The Roots
From 7 to 11 p.m. on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, between 20th Street and the Eakins Oval, Philly’s own musical sensation The Roots will serve as the house band at the Philly 4th of July Jam — “The Largest Free Concert in America.”
The band will be joined by John Mayer, Demi Lovato, Ne-Yo, J. Cole, Ben Taylor and other special guests. ••
Grand Finale fireworks
Following the end of the night’s celebrations on the Ben Franklin Parkway (the concert ends at 11 p.m.) there will be a fireworks show in the sky above the Philadelphia Museum of Art. ••
Authentic Independence Day
Want to celebrate the Fourth of July like Ben Franklin would have? On July 4, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation will host a Fourth of July celebration and picnic.
Enjoy a picnic at the farm and celebrate our nation’s birthday by hearing the Declaration of Independence and witnessing the crowd’s reaction.
Activities include house tours, textile demonstrations, long rifle, garden and animal talks. Visitors are welcome to bring a picnic basket lunch or purchase refreshments.
The event will be held at Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation, located at 3900 N. Sandy Flash Dr. in Newtown Square. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for children aged 4 to 12. The plantation is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 610–566–1725 or visit www.colonialplantation.org. ••
4th of July weekend
Park After Dark on the Race Street Pier
On First Friday, July 5, from 7 to 9 p.m., visitors can enjoy regional artists’ performances presented by FringeArts, just across from their future home on the waterfront, and then stroll up Race Street to explore the galleries in Old City.
This week’s event features performances by students of the Pig Iron’s School for the Advanced Performance Training, which brings together daring and passionate theatre artists from around the globe to train their bodies and imaginations. ••
Wawa Welcome America Taste of Philadelphia
Food vendors and live music will take over Penn’s Landing on Friday and Saturday, July 5 and 6, from noon to 10 p.m., and on Sunday, July 7, from 12 to 3 p.m.
The three-day long event will feature free non-stop musical entertainment and food from area restaurants and food trucks that are pay as you go. ••
Taste of Philadelphia Concert and Fireworks
Prepare to be awed. Continue your Fourth of July celebrations at Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing with a free concert featuring Marsha Ambrosius and one of the Philadelphia’s largest fireworks displays, presented by Adventure Aquarium, on Saturday, July 6, at 8 p.m. ••
