Nearly 10,000 affected as Philly cancels Salute to Independence Parade, changes July 4th plans
Heat emergency cancels Salute to Independence Parade, alters Wawa Welcome America events
The Heat Health Emergency in Philadelphia has been extended until Sunday at 8:00 p.m., leading to the cancellation of the Salute to Independence Parade and changes to other Wawa Welcome America events, according to organizers.
PHILADELPHIA - The Heat Health Emergency in Philadelphia has been extended until Sunday at 8:00 p.m., leading to the cancellation of the Salute to Independence Parade and changes to other Wawa Welcome America events, according to organizers.
Heat forces parade cancellation and event changes
What we know:
The Salute to Independence Parade was canceled just hours before its planned 11:00 a.m. start time because of excessive heat. Michael DelBene, president and CEO of Welcome America, Inc., said, "We’re devastated to have to cancel the parade, you know. It’s really heartbreaking. The team has been planning it for over two years." DelBene said almost 10,000 people had come to Philadelphia to march in this year’s semiquincentennial parade.
Organizers spent the night trying to find a way to hold the parade safely.
"The parade, with almost 10,000 participants, would’ve required something like the Convention Center. But you know the Convention Center you have to have to arrange that, you know, months or even years in advance," said DelBene.
Sheetal Pawar, a float participant with the Counsel of Indian Organizations in Greater Philadelphia, said her group was heading to the Convention Center to break down their float after learning of the cancellation Friday morning. "Emotionally I think the temper was high and all of a sudden finding out. I mean, this is the 250th year, we were really looking forward to making it count," said Pawar.
Other performers participated in "Red, White, and Blue To Do Patriotic Pop-ups" around the Historic District instead, which were not orchestrated by DelBene. Charles Pisara, director of bands for Union Public School in Tulsa, said, "Getting to present and perform our art, our music where essentially democracy was birthed in this country is really special."
Friday’s Pops on Independence event, backed by Wawa Welcome America, was pushed back to 8:00 p.m. due to the heat.
The One Philly Unity Concert for America hosted by the city is still scheduled for Saturday, with gates opening at 3:00 p.m. and the event starting at 5:00 p.m. No changes have been announced by the city for this event.
The Heat Health Emergency has led to changes in several scheduled events, but organizers say safety is their top priority.
What they're saying:
"At the end of the day, you know, our number one responsibility is the safety of our patrons, our participants, our guests, and our staff," said DelBene.
Pawar said, "Emotionally, I think the temper was high and all of a sudden finding out. I mean, this is the 250th year, we were really looking forward to making it count."
Pisara said, "Getting to present and perform our art, our music where essentially democracy was birthed in this country is really special."
The city has not announced any changes to the One Philly Unity Concert for America, which is still scheduled for Saturday.
What we don't know:
It is not yet clear if any additional Wawa Welcome America events will be changed or canceled, or if the city will announce further updates regarding the Heat Health Emergency.
The Source: Information from Welcome America, Inc. and event organizers.