Snow piles are still melting along the Schuylkill, but organizers are already planning a very different scene for July.<\/p>\n
Philly Phlotilla, part of the region\u2019s lead-up to America250, will send more than 100 kayakers down the river on Saturday, July 11, in a red, white and blue procession through Center City. The flotilla will launch from Walnut Street Dock and travel eight miles to Fort Mifflin, the Revolutionary War-era site often called the \u201cFort that Saved America.\u201d<\/p>\n
The event highlights the historic role the Schuylkill River and Fort Mifflin played during the Revolutionary War, as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary. Spectators will be able to watch from bridges and riverbanks as paddlers make their way south.<\/p>\n
The day begins with parking and check-in at Fort Mifflin, followed by a shuttle to Walnut Street Dock. After a boxed lunch at Schuylkill Banks, kayakers will paddle from 1 to 4:30 p.m., arriving at the fort for an afternoon celebration that includes food, beverages, tours and a cannon firing.\u00a0Registration opens in April.<\/p>\n
For anyone currently layered in parkas and staring at gray water, consider this a reminder that summer on the river \u2014 and a more colorful version of the city \u2014 is already on the calendar.<\/p>\n