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Wawa Welcome America is gearing up for America’s semiquincentennial celebrations with 16 days of events this summer.
6 nights of fireworks
For the first time, the festival will feature six nights of fireworks at the following events:
Changes to parade route
For 2026, the Salute to Independence Semiquincentennial Parade will feature 250 elements representing 50 U.S. states and its territories. All 52 Miss America state and territory titleholders will also be featured during the event.
The parade’s route will also be expanded, beginning at Fifth and Chestnut streets and passing Independence Hall, before continuing down Market Street, circling City Hall and traveling along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway around Logan Circle. It will then return toward City Hall on Market Street before concluding at Broad and Chestnut streets.
The parade will also include 50 marching bands, 13 floats, military elements, special units and historical elements. It will start at 11 a.m. on July 3.
Many annual Welcome America events will return in 2026, including the Juneteenth Block Party, Concilio’s Annual Hispanic Fiesta, Wawa Hoagie Day, Gospel on Independence, Free Museum Days and Pops on Independence.
The full slate of events can be found here.