‘Really disappointed’: Visitors travelled long distances for 250th parade
DelBene said groups expected to march in the parade included people who’d flown in from overseas and from all 50 U.S. states and U.S. territories. The groups included all 52 Miss America state and territory titleholders, military groups, the Korean American Association, Council of Indian Organizations, Chinese Benevolent Association, Tibetan Association, Filipino Association, high school marching bands from California, Alabama, Oklahoma and one band from Italy.
“They fundraised, they’ve sold chocolate bars and gone door-to-door and done car washes, and all of those amazing things that groups do to get here,” he said. “We’re just simply heartbroken that the culmination of that isn’t going to be the parade that they hoped for.”
Joe Seymour drove with his family up from Baltimore to march in the parade as part of a living history group portraying the 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment and 43rd Regiment of Foot. He planned to wear a three-layered linen and wool uniform and cocked hat, which he described as “not as hot as it looks.”
Locals Jaron and Lisa Theis brought Henry, 3, to the Franklin Fountain in Old City to keep cool during Independence Day celebrations in Philadelphia. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
“We were ready to go, but you know kids these days,” he joked. “Weak and soft. We used to march uphill both ways in our parade.”
“We’re really disappointed,” he added. “But we understand it was a safety call.”
Despite the cancellation, Seymour said he was excited to be in Philadelphia for Independence Day.
“It’s where it all happened,” he said. “So many things that we take for granted today were fought over in the 18th century … these very basic freedoms that people had, the right to participate in government and to vote. We take it for granted these days, but it’s so important to remember the values that were espoused in the Declaration of Independence.”