STAR-SPANGLED 4TH

Pottstown celebrates Independence Day

POTTSTOWN >> No one celebrates the Fourth of July quite like Pottstown.

That much was clear Thursday as thousands attended the annual parade and later made their way to Memorial Park to continue the all-day festivities at the GoFourth Festival.

Visitors to the park could enjoy a bounty of games and activities from ring tosses and face painting to creating massive bubbles with wands and bubble juice provided by Grandpop Bubbles.

The event, which is always a town favorite, is completely funded through community support, which cochairs of the festival say has been outstanding.

“The community is very generous. Anywhere from a couple of dollars in the buckets that we pass around today up to our largest individual donor gave $800. People give anywhere in between there — $10, $15, $20 and it’s really overwhelming the support that the community gives us to fund this hometown event,” said Amy Wolf, co-chairwoman of the festival.

The money goes not only toward the attractions for the day such as the fireworks display but also for security and other necessary expenses.

In addition to games and a plethora of local food options, visitors could also witness a reenactment of renaissance fights, receive henna tattoos or just sit with a Sly Fox beer and enjoy some live

music. Events were planned throughout the entire day including The Pottstown Rotary Duck Race, a hot air balloon launch and a new “Rain Gutter Regatta” by Cub Scout packs 249 and 146.

“When I walk around and I see people from different areas, it’s just everyone chipping in. Our photographer is from West Chester so he really has this unique perspective. I think sometimes we’re in town so long that we get used to seeing what we see and don’t appreciate what we have here and to look at it through his lens is really cool,” said Amy Francis about what she loves about the event.

“We look at those pictures and we see that cross section of Americans that are here celebrating Independence Day ... Independence Day is for everybody to celebrate. When we go back and look at those pictures it’s really moving to see this melting pot which is what Pottstown is and what America is,” added Wolf.

A heavy, late afternoon rain storm cleared out the park of most visitors, and many of the food trucks.

It continued to rain, and threaten to rain and almost rain.

But when the time came, wet grass and wet shoes aside, the Fireworks were held on schedule with the usual rousing finale.

EVAN BRANDT — MEDIANEWS GROUP Arianna Ramos, 6, came all the way from West Chester Thursday to be among the first to ride the Hippocampus, the last and most fantastic beast to be added to the Carousel at Pottstown after its debut in the July 4h Parade earlier in the day.

EVAN BRANDT — MEDIANEWS GROUP Despite some off-and-on rain Thursday, Pottstown’s fireworks show went off as scheduled, capping off another GoFourth Festival.

MARIAN DENNIS — MEDIANEWS GROUP Crowds in Memorial Park enjoyed a variety of delicious local foods during Thursday’s GoFourth Festival.

MARIAN DENNIS — MEDIANEWS GROUP A renaissance fight reenactment by the Society for Creative Anachronism entertained crowds at Memorial Park Thursday during the GoFourth Festival.

EVAN BRANDT — MEDIANEWS GROUP Kids in Memorial Park never seemed to tire of popping the bubbles made by Grandpop Bubbles during the GoFourth Festival Thursday.

EVAN BRANDT — MEDIANEWS GROUP Rotary Club volunteers collect the ducks for storage till next year’s race as the results are dutifully taken at left after the annual Duck Race in Manatawny Creek during Thursday’s GoFourth Festival. The first duck to cross the finish line was number 3869, according to preliminary results.

MARIAN DENNIS — MEDIANEWS GROUP Kids experimented with giant bubbles Thursday as part of the activities in Memorial Park for the GoFourth Festival.

EVAN BRANDT — MEDIANEWS GROUP The rain cut short the last two musical acts at Thursday’s GoFourth festival, but Stephanie Grace managed to get in a full set.

EVAN BRANDT — MEDIANEWS GROUP Carousels aren’t just for kids. Edward Sakiewicz Jr. of Pottstown was looking forward to taking a ride on the Hippocampus, the newest and last fantastic beast to be added to the Carousel at Pottstown.

EVAN BRANDT — MEDIANEWS GROUP Pottstown Cub Scouts sponsored the ‘Raingutter Regatta” event at the GoFourth Festival Thursday, From left are Raymond Rose, Astrid Schreur, Julianna Szent-Gyorgyi and Christopher Rose.

EVAN BRANDT — MEDIANEWS GROUP Rotary Club members remove the plastic ducks at the end of the annual Duck Race held in Manatawny Creek during Thursday’s GoFourth Festival.

MARIAN DENNIS — MEDIANEWS GROUP Face painting by Rainbow the Clown was one of many activities available Thursday for guests to enjoy during the GoFourth Festival.

MARIAN DENNIS — MEDIANEWS GROUP Guests enjoyed the Fourth of July this year with games and more in Memorial Park during the annual GoFourth Festival.