RED WHITE AND NEW

Celebration gets a makeover with new parade route

NORRISTOWN » Norristown is hauling out the red, white and blue in a big way to celebrate the country’s 242nd birthday this year.

With the town going through a revitalization, it’s only fitting that the annual Fourth of July parade and block party would receive a revitalization treatment of their own, which they have, thanks to a partnership between the municipality and the Norristown Chamber of Commerce.

Independence Day in Norristown will be marked by a new parade route and a beefed up block party on Main Street, followed by a patriotic blast at Elmwood Park, capped off by — what else? — fireworks.

“The Chamber and the municipality have been collaborating throughout the year on workshops and partnering with people and getting out the good things happening with the chief and the municipality and how it’s growing and they asked me to collaborate with them on revitalizing the parade this year,” noted Kym Ramsey, president of the Norristown Chamber of Commerce. “People have really come together to participate this year. We came up with a new parade route that I think will be exciting, ending at Main Street with a block party. People are

then welcome to go over to Elmwood Park for the Party in the Park, with music and fireworks. So the event is really three things in one.”

The parade begins at St. Francis of Assisi Church, 600 Hamilton St., Norristown, at 9:30, proceeding down Marshall Street, turning right on Astor Street and heading down Airy Street, making a right on Arch Street, to Main Street, where the block party will kick off at 10:30 a.m. between Green and DeKalb streets.

The new parade route was designed to spotlight Norristown’s business community, Ramsey said.

“To get the businesses involved it had to come through and highlight what’s going on downtown,” explained Ramsey, owner and founder of The Willow School in Norristown. “It also cut down costs more efficiently.”

Among the parade participants will be the Norristown Police Department; Norristown Fire Department; Norristown Area High School cheerleaders, and Drumline, Norristown Area High School football, volley ball, soccer and track and field teams; the Philadelphia German Band, the Willow School, the Verdi Band and the Upstring Band, among others.

More than a dozen vendors will highlight the block party, which will feature a beer garden, food trucks, live music and activities for kids, including Damsel Pro; jewelry designer Delores Kirkpatrick; Five Saints Distilling; Flamingo School Dancers; Elmwood Park Zoo; Paparazzi Jewelry; Peach Clothing and Accessory Company; baker Sharon Moses; Renewal by Andersen of Greater Philadelphia and Theatre Horizon; Timshel Coffee and Myers Drug Store.

At 2:30 p.m. the fun shifts to Harding Boulevard and a host of activities at Elmwood Park, including entertainment and refreshments, including Old School Band, 1 p.m.; North Pole Amusements, 1 to 5 p.m.; Frisbee Spin Art, 1 to 3 p.m.; caricaturist Dave Perry, 2:30 to 5 p.m.; Wildflower Band, 7 p.m., leading up to the fireworks at dusk.

“With my relationships as a business owner in Norristown, it was about building those partnerships that made it easier for people to get behind a new vision for the Fourth of July in Norristown,” Ramsey said. “We have everybody involved. I’m just getting over the six year mark for my business, so this is a lot of volunteer work being president of the Chamber and moving it forward is a labor of love. And we see the evidence of it when the community comes together,” she added. “What better way to celebrate it all than on the Fourth of July?”

Sponsors include TD Bank; The Willow School; Jaz Press; Corbett Inc.; Five Saints Distilling; Rocket Wealth; Team All Business and TimShel Coffee.

DFM FILE PHOTO In this file photo, Norristown Ambassador Hank Cisco waves to crowds along West Marshall Street in the 2016 Norristown 4th of July parade.