Parades

Everyone loves a parade, and there's no place quite like Philadelphia when it comes to festive, musical processions. Throughout the year, the streets are filled with celebrations of history and culture, from the Fourth of July spectacular to parades honoring the various ethnic groups that make Philadelphia a diverse and exceptional city. The following parades welcome visiting performing groups.

• St. Patrick's Day Parade
  Date: March
  Contact: Michael J. Bradley Jr., 357 Crescent Hill Drive, Havertown, PA 19083; 610-449-4320.
  The parade is open to groups of all sizes. An application is required; a video is also required for new groups. There is no cost for bands to participate. The parade route runs along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway with the reviewing stand at Eakins Oval. The number of spectators reaches 500,000.


• Wawa Welcome America! Fourth of July Parade
  Date: July 4
  Contact: Lana Felton-Ghee, 100 S. Broad St., Ste. 1525, Philadelphia, PA 19110; 215-683-2203.
  Any group may apply to participate, however, groups are accepted based on an audition, which must include video and photo submissions. Content is based on the design of the parade. The parade route runs through Historic Philadelphia, starting at 5th & Chestnut streets and ending at Front & Market streets. A free concert and fireworks display takes place later that evening at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

• Puerto Rican Day Parade
  Date: Late September
  Contact: Jose Rivera, 215-627-3100; www.elconcilio.net.
  This annual parade from the Ben Franklin Parkway to Independence Hall, features a festival celebrating the best of Puerto Rican heritage.


• German-American Steuben Day Parade
  Date: September
  Contact: Robert Eppinger, 11927 Alberta Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19154; 201-763-7285; www.steubenparade.com.
  This colorful annual celebration of German-American heritage honors Baron Friedrich von Steuben, who came from Germany to help Gen. George Washington train his troops during the Revolutionary War. The parade is open to all bands with an application required. No charge for participation. The parade, located in Northeast Philadelphia, begins on Frankford Avenue and travels between Welsh Road and St. Vincent Street. The reviewing stand is at the corner of Frankford and Ryan avenues.
  


• Pulaski Day Parade
  Date: Early October
  Contact: Theresa Romanowski, 308 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106; 215-922-1700; www.pulaskiparade.org.
  This ethnic parade and display of Polish pride honors Revolutionary War hero Gen. Casimir Pulaski. The parade is open to all bands. An application is required; a video is suggested. The parade begins at 12:30 p.m. at 20th Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The reviewing stand is located at Logan Circle.


• Columbus Day Parade
  Date: October
  Contact: Kathleen Murray, 494 City Hall, Philadelphia, PA 19107; 215-686-3412.
  This annual parade celebrates the voyage of Christopher Columbus and his arrival in the New World. The parade is open to all bands. An application is required; a video is suggested. There is no cost for bands to participate. The parade runs from Broad and Washington streets to Broad Street and Oregon Avenue. The parade route is one and a half miles long and takes about two hours to complete. The number of spectators ranges from 30,000 to 60,000.


• Thanksgiving Day Parade
  Date: November
  Contact: Maria DiBenedetto, 882 S. Matlack St., Ste. 202, West Chester, PA 19382; 610-431-1121.
  Groups participating in the oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States are accepted based on an audition process, which includes a video and photograph evaluation. Content is based on the design of the parade. The parade route is two miles long, and the festivities run from 8 a.m.-noon. More than 700,000 spectators attend this event.